


A Harsh Lesson

by drunkdragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: Complete, Crimes & Criminals, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:49:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 124,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8222816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunkdragon/pseuds/drunkdragon
Summary: Betrayed by his colleagues, Roman Torchwick is approached by Ozpin with the strangest of offers - to become a teacher at Beacon and train RWBY and JNPR to catch the ones pulling the strings. But this abyss protects its own and Roman always enjoyed a good double-crossing, especially when he got the last say.
I do not own RWBY.





	1. Betrayal

  _abyss - noun_

_1\. a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm._

_2\. a wide or profound difference between people; a gulf._

_3\. the regions of hell conceived of as a bottomless pit._

* * *

 

_"Sorry Romey, but it looks like our contract is terminating early."_

It was the last thing Roman Torchwick recalled before the world went dark. Later, he awoke in an alley to handcuffs and a squabble of enforcers watching over him as he was transported to the local authorities.

They laughed at him. The jeered at him. He said nothing. He had been caught before on multiple occasions, and each time he got out. Lack of substantial evidence meant that he couldn't be held for long, and for the times that there was enough, escape had been easy.

But this time, things were different. It wasn't that he had been spotted at the scenes of activity, and he was now under severe watch. It wasn't the constant rotation of guards at all hours that surrounded his cell. It wasn't about barely being given his rights, the plea bargain, or receiving an inept defense lawyer.

No.

The real difference was how he had been betrayed.

This wasn't the first time someone had crossed him. Usually it was a small-time thug who thought they could get away from his ever-watching gaze, or someone who just wanted a bit more of the pie than he was willing to negotiate. But this time, it was an equal associate that had thrown him to the ground.

He had gotten them what they wanted - more dust than the average person would ever see, the easiest and most reliable funding through his legitimate business fronts, and most importantly he covered for them, stating it was all a part of his operations, leaving bits and pieces to mislead the authorities.

Roman would admit, however, that his last few attempts had become spotty. Two botched robberies and a broken Paladin, all because a set of teenagers seemed hell bent on getting in the way and could connect dots better than the local police. But those moments must have outweighed his contributions to the group.

He could feel his teeth clenching, lips beginning to snarl at the thought.

That _bitch._

Cinder had it all, he reasoned. Supple curves and an inviting face. Dark, beautiful locks of hair, cascading down in soft curls. Amber eyes that could drown a normal man in a desert, and now that she was able to steal the power that she has now, she could probably do it too. Everything she ever needed to talk a lesser man into doing what she wanted, she had at her disposal.

But he knew her type, and he resisted easily. Oh, he resisted. She was just a business partner. Had always been. Push all she wanted, he gave her nothing besides what was written on the contract. And once Cinder knew she would get nothing else out of him and his use had run out, she knew it was time to end it.

He should have seen it coming. He held onto the hope that in the new world that she sought to usher in, he might operate with her as a business partner. But things had changed and now she had stabbed him in the back, all because he was of no further use to her. Maybe she had meant to kill him, but whether by chance or luck he was still alive.

The first day of his incarceration ended with brooding and how he would take his revenge. It would be deliberate, slow. It would be terrifying for her, to see all her abilities fail in the hour of need. Fall Maiden powers or not, she would gasp her last breath in a helpless scream.

But like all good things, Roman needed a plan.

The second and third days were filled with more brooding. The authorities tried to speak to him again, and the defense lawyer never showed up. But he ignored them. Just flies on the wall, pointless noise. Their voices never reached him.

His orange hair became matted with dirt, and his immaculate white coat was beginning to show off-color. He might have cared earlier, but for now all he thought of was how much Cinder needed to die.

The fourth day, however, brought a strange guest.

* * *

"Leave us."

The room was dark, the only source of light coming from a small lamp with a downward shade suspended from the ceiling, forcing the light to go onto the table they were seated at. The officers at Roman's sides gave a hesitant glance at each other before acknowledging the request. With one last check on his restraints, they left and closed the door.

The room remained silent. Across from Roman was an immaculate man. His dark green coat made his silver hair stand out, and the man's stare shone over his low-hanging glasses. He had a cup of coffee in his hands, the steaming vapor escaping into the room.

"It has been a long time since we've met, Roman."

Roman kept silent at first, but his lips split and he spoke for the first time in three days. His voice, just a little gravely and coarse, betrayed no fear. "I didn't know you made a career change, Ozpin."

"I'm not your lawyer."

"Oh, so I don't even get that now?" he chuckled, "Have they finally learned?"

The man named Ozpin remained firm in spite of his jabs. "You've got a long line of accusations against you. I suggest you don't waste my time."

"Care to read what they are?"

" _Roman._ "

"Okay, okay," He didn't stop smiling, absolutely dauntless against the tone of voice Ozpin used. "So what are you here for? I'm sure you have much better things to do than visiting a convict. Being a headmaster is a very demanding job."

The man across from him huffed. "You and I both know that there is something bigger going on here. Something bigger than the local authorities are equipped to handle."

"And what makes you draw that conclusion?"

"Act all they want, the police can't hide the truth and they know it." Ozpin drew out his scroll and began to read from it. "'Infamous Kingpin Captured' is what the headlines say. Yet there are no mentions of how it happened - just the acknowledgment that you were brought in. And with the fact that you were spotted leading a string of dust robberies, and only dust, this further supports that fact. But they aren't making that public yet. They're controlling how much information they release because if they allude to a larger threat, not only will it make it harder to catch the ones at the top, but it could lead to a wider level of panic among the people. Panic that can attract Grimm."

"Hmph. The Grimm aren't my problem."

There was a brief pause as Ozpin stood and turned to face the dark walls of the room, leaving the coffee on the table. One of his hands went to draw something from his coat and the other soon went to fiddle with it.

"You're a good huntsman, along with the other unsavory bits you involved yourself with. You were also a good man for a while, too."

Ah, so was that what this was all about? Ozpin wanting his services? Roman gave a quick scoff, yet he danced around the subject. He knew that there was something more to it than he was letting on. "Funny that you make that distinction. Most people tend to put those two traits together." Raising his shackled hands and dragging them through his dirty hair, he eyed the back of the man as his hands settled into his lap. "Tell me, what separates the two for you?"

"Simple, Roman," Ozpin had still yet to face him. "One is about being skillful and the other is about making decisions."

"Oh, please, you're making it sound like I'm a good person." He felt his lips forming the semblance of a smile. "What makes you think I could still be one?"

"I don't," the man spoke firmly, "and I'm not here to debate what we're in agreeance over, Roman. I'm here for the other part."

In a sudden spin, Ozpin twirled around and his hand snapped out. A flash of metal glinted in the low light as it zoomed towards Roman's face. With a quick lean of his head, the knife whizzed by his ear and stuck itself into the wall with a vibrating thud.

"Glad to see your reflexes haven't dulled."

Roman found that he wasn't smiling anymore. So he wanted his abilities as a huntsman, then. But for what? Ozpin could have any number of hunters at his side with a touch of a button. His mind churned, wondering at just what the headmaster wanted with him.

Perhaps it was just best to ask.

Shrugging his shoulders, he looked at the other man in the eye. "So, I'm a huntsman," he admitted. "What do you want me to do, kill Grimm? Patrol the borders?" A sharp smirk grew on his face. "A suicide mission?"

"On the contrary, none of that sort." Ozpin slowly returned to his seat across from Roman, looking into his eyes once more. "You're an especially good huntsman - I can count the number of hunters I know who match your prowess with my fingers. But more importantly, you know the links behind the group you were working with. You might not know everything, but you know who else is involved at your level."

There was a brief silence before Roman responded. "You want me to rat out the people who are setting this all up."

"Not quite. I want you to pass on your knowledge of the underworld and how to fight it, to stop criminals."

The reply caught Roman's attention, and he found himself leveling his gaze against Ozpin's own.

"And for your first task, Roman, I would like you to train a specialized team of hunters to bring your betrayers to the light."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to the villains of our stories - dastardly plans make for great conflicts, after all.


	2. The Deal

"You must like the idea. You're smiling."

Indeed - Roman did like the idea. It presented a way to leave this prison. It wasn't his preferred choice, but at the same time it would work. And if he did a good job, he could bring about the revenge he so wanted.

But if he played his cards right, carefully watched the pieces play out and have the right contacts in his pocket, he could also escape the clutch of the authorities and once again be free. But that hinged on a lot of factors. Was the plan still the same? Did Cinder suspect that he would work with the authorities to catch them, or had she become so arrogant in her own powers that she ruled out the danger it posed? Were his allies still his allies?

Before he could make a decision, though, he also needed to hear more of what Ozpin wanted - what he really wanted. Roman chuckled and leaned over the table, laying his handcuffed wrists on top of the hard metal. "That's quite a strange proposition to hear from you. As headmaster, I'm very sure that you have at least a few acquaintances you could work with to achieve this goal." He looked up at Ozpin, slowly dragging out his words. "What makes me so special?"

The man took another sip of his coffee. "While you may no longer be a man of good standing, you are at the very least a resource - one that I believe to be capable of achieving our goal."

Roman smirked back. "Laying it on thick, aren't you? You can just say that I'm good at what I do."

"I'm not here to compliment you, Roman. I'm here to bring you the truth." The man gave a long sigh and shut his eyes, turning his head down. A deep breath coursed through his lungs and he spoke in a tired voice. "There has been an increasing need for huntsmen and huntresses to target those who have gone… rogue, such as yourself. With this climbing issue, Grimm will not be our only source of trouble in the near future. We're beginning to see more and more aura users, trained huntsmen and huntresses, who are taking a stance against what our civilization has achieved, and all that we stand for."

Of course he knew that. It was a part of the plan, after all. But would Cinder stick with the idea? He ignored his question, though, and did his best to look aloof. "Honestly, you have me intrigued Ozpin. You've given me the 'why', but that's only half the answer I'm looking for. I'm looking for the 'why me'. Care to explain that?"

"As I mentioned earlier, you're are one of the best huntsmen I've seen, and you know the underground. More importantly, however, you have extensive experience fighting other humans, both in the active manner as well as planning for it." Ozpin looked back at Roman, a twinge of annoyance and disappointment on his lips. "As… headmaster, I have access to certain files, and I can see that you have a long streak of eliminating hunters that were sent after you. In fact, we didn't even capture you on our own this time - you were betrayed by those around you."

"Hmph," his face turned into a scowl and he looked away. Ozpin was always good at picking apart the facts from fiction. "Don't remind me."

"All I am saying is that at Beacon, we are equipped to teach students how to fight Grimm. We are not properly equipped to teach how to fight a human."

"And what of the Vytal Festival?" Roman turned his eyes back upon Ozpin. "Even I like to relax and have a drink when it's on."

"A tournament is only a momentary glance at what it means to fight a person. We can have students spar students all we want, but that's just it - a fight in a controlled environment. This fails to include the foreplanning that is often needed to win a fight far before one begins. It doesn't teach them to think in the way we need them to to prevent those moments from happening. You've fought and disposed of a myriad of diverse hunters under various circumstances. As unfortunate as it is, your continued survival is proof of your abilities."

"So," Roman lulled, "you think I'm the best candidate, then. And why me, in spite of my dubious background? What's kept you from your other contacts?"

"Ultimately, time. I could hire instructors, but with all the tape I have to cross, it might already be too late."

"Ha!" He couldn't help but throw his head back. "And am I not a roll of red tape myself? You wound me."

"Somewhat," Ozpin brushed aside his comment. "But considering Beacon's involvement with the local law enforcement at times, it's far easier to get you than it is an instructor. Besides, like I said earlier, you're far more knowledgeable in this field. Research and studying is one thing - knowing and doing is another."

"And most importantly, you are a criminal. You know how a criminal thinks."

So that's what Ozpin valued. Even though his background was beyond shady, the man made his intentions clear - he wanted Roman because he could predict what Cinder - and by extension, her colleagues - would want to do.

"Okay, okay," Roman leaned over the table once again. "Suppose I took your deal. What do you want me to do? What's your goal?"

Ozpin must have taken this as a good sign - his body shifted and he leaned forward just a little bit. "I want you to teach a set of students how to defeat those who have gone rogue while also assisting with bringing your colleagues to justice. You're analytical to a fault, and I know that you're far smarter and more able than you let on. Get them to into fighting shape not against Grimm, but against humans."

"So let me get this right." he slowly trailed, touching a finger to his chin, "You want me to train your special set of students to catch the bad guys. Teach a bunch of kids how to catch a bunch of adults, who have years of experience and dirty tricks up their sleeves."

"Yes." As unbelievable Ozpin's response was, the man delivered it with an entirely straight face. Assuming that the man spoke the truth, this meant that Roman had been offered an amazing opportunity on a silver platter. While he was sure that there would be securities in place, he could use it as a chance to create chaos as a cover to both kill Cinder and escape.

But that brought up an interesting problem. Roman's smile grew - he would get to see Ozpin squirm.

"And what makes you think that I would train people who will attempt to capture or kill me in the future? What's in it for me, Ozpin?"

The man paused to breathe, raising the mug to his lips once again. "Leniency," Ozpin finally stated. "Amenities. Perhaps a parole of sorts."

"Hmph. You're just full of hubris today, aren't you? Do you like to have that with your coffee?" Roman cracked a wide smile, uncovered eye glimmering in the low light, "You honestly think you can save me."

"You were a good man, once. A good student and huntsman, too. You've just always hidden it behind your dandy attitude and other images you create," The man sighed, "You could've had a bright future."

He leaned back in his chair once more, raising his manacled hands behind his head. "You can take a rat like me off the street, but you won't always take the street out of the rat." He gave a sharp stare to the headmaster, "I did what I needed to survive, Ozpin."

"And I'm doing the exact same thing," his voice rose before he took a deep breath and slowed himself down. "If we let things go the way they are now, who knows what will happen to us. We need to fight back now, and you're the best one to consult for it."

Ozpin was desperate. It was as if he was holding onto a set of cards and knew he was going to lose if he didn't draw something useful. And he was hoping that card was going to be Roman.

This might just work out in his favor, but the logistics needed to be sorted out.

"Let's say I accept," Roman started. "What tools will be provided to me? What privileges will I get?"

"We can discuss your privileges later. For now-"

"You were able to list your expectations. I think it would be fair for me to list some of mine," he quickly interrupted. "For starters I would like to keep my clothes and my cigars, though a spare set of clothes would be nice for a disguise. And I know you're not stupid enough to give me my particular cane, so any sturdy one will do for now. However, once we get ready to confront these enemies, I'm going to need my real weapon. I think you'll find those requests to be fairly reasonable, no?"

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement on those later," was Ozpin's curt reply. "To answer your first question, you will be given a scroll, as well data on each of your students. You will be given a lecture area of your choice, though the sparring hall we have is probably your best option."

"A scroll, huh," Roman smiled, "A useful device, provided one to every student that doesn't already have one upon entry to their first school." His gaze focused against Ozpin's dark eyes, almost maliciously, "Tell me, how many nasty little secrets did you learn with this? How many students do you think you can track and protect with it?"

Ozpin remained silent in the face of the accusations.

His smile grew a little wider. "That's why I destroyed mine when I was a student. Damned things were just a trap."

The headmaster did not react to the words and went back to his original subject. "Returning to our deal, Roman," Ozpin started again, "in addition to teaching the students, you will also assist with the investigation."

"Obviously. But what if I'm required to do a... field trip of sorts? What if I need to visit someone who can help us fight back? Or what if a trip is needed and I want to take the kids so they can see a master in action?"

"That… would depend on the nature of the excursion."

Roman threw his head back and laughed, his crowing bouncing off the empty walls, assaulting Ozpin from every angle. "You really are desperate, aren't you?" he stated rather than asked. "Tell me, Ozpin, are all these risks you're taking worth it?"

"In this case, yes," the man across from him responded firmly, "and we will be watching your every move."

He only laughed harder. And when he finally fell still and only silence filled the room, Roman slowly looked back at the man across from him. The bangs of orange hair had fallen to the side, revealing his other green eye. Both had gone cold and calculating, a thin smile threatening to cut his face in half. "You can't contain me, Ozpin." He spoke like it was a simple truth.

Dark and narrowed eyes returned his gaze. "I can, and I will. I trust that we have come to an agreement?"

* * *

The trip from the police department to Beacon was uneventful. He had been cuffed, blindfolded, and then led towards what sounded like an armored Bullhead in the dead of night.

Not unlike one of his own operations a long time ago.

With little hesitation, they took off and he could feel himself lurching a little in his seat. Then there was more air travel. He himself said nothing, but instead did his best to see if the guards that were in the compartment would say anything. Nothing was shared, however, and eventually they touched down. Feeling the restraints become undone, he was pulled out of his seat and guided off the aircraft.

A feminine voice yelled over the roar of the engine. "I will take it from here."

One of the officers undid his blindfold and he was greeted with the sight of Beacon's tall towers, shining against the night sky. It had been a long time since he had gazed upon them. HIs head tilted down and a woman with her blonde hair in a bun entered his vision, flanked by two other guards.

Guards that were dressed in Atlas military equipment, he noted. Ozpin must have had some pull to get them to assist here.

He turned back to the woman. "You were there at one of my raids," Roman stated. One of the officers raised a gun to his head while another began to undo his handcuffs. Once done the gun was lowered and the police returned to the Bullhead and took off.

"Ozpin felt that I would be a good chaperone," she adjusted her black glasses, though she was clearly annoyed. "I still can't believe he's working with you. Strange times are upon us."

"It's simple. I have something he values," he casually returned, gently massaging his now-free wrists, "It's the same reason why anyone wants anything."

"Hmph."

The trip to his new room was silent. Crickets chirped on the school grounds as he looked to his sides. Instead of making smalltalk, however, Roman was already scanning the area to examine the best way of escape. Considering the secluded nature of the school, airship would be the preferred exit strategy, though it wasn't without drawbacks - it would be an obvious sight if he left in the middle of the day. He would need to make the perfect opportunity to escape unnoticed.

The dining hall and dormitories were the same, but he found himself being led to what looked to be a guest dormitory. It was smaller and shorter than the other buildings in the area, though it followed a similar style with the others. He saw no lights on, however, not even the ones for the hallways. Perhaps they didn't want to draw the unnecessary attention of students at this time.

Walking to the main door, the blonde woman fished out her scroll from her pocket and pressed it against a scanner by the large wooden doors. A gentle beep, a green flash of light, and soon she was pushing the door open. Following after her, he was led through the long hallways until he ended in front of a room that seemed no different than the others.

That was, until she opened it.

"While we are able to afford you some amenities, you are still a criminal."

Her words washed over him, ignored as he looked at the room. A little bit past the main entryway and through a short hall stood a light green and opaque wall. In its corners were four armored emitters, pulsing out electromagnetic dust and the wavelengths that carried them.

A security field. Any object or intruder would be unable to push through it. Or in his case, unable to come out.

"The field will be active at all hours," she continued. "In addition, guards will be stationed outside your room at all times, who will also ensure that your health and safety is in good condition. I have redone the walls so that they are not only reinforced, but also have an additional field behind them. Your meals will be delivered to you under armed surveillance. The only time you are authorized to leave the room is when you are… teaching," she spat out the word with some difficulty, "and we will fetch you for that. If we need information, we will come to you."

Powering down the shield, she walked in and Roman followed after her. There was a basic bathroom, a bed, no windows, a monitor, and a desk with a scroll on top. The blonde woman went to pick it up and handed it to him. "This is a modified scroll. While it still maintains most of its basic functions, communication on it is severely limited. You will not be able to make outgoing calls, nor can you send messages, but you will be able to receive them. However, it does have the data for the students you'll be teaching. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with it."

"Any questions for me, Torchwick?"

"Yes, just one," he chuckled. "It seems that you don't approve of this venture and you clearly are one of Ozpin's close colleagues. And yet here you are, welcoming me into your school. Why did he continue with the plan in spite of your thoughts? Did you even get to share your them?"

For a moment it looked as if she would speak, but ultimately she remained silent. Head turning just a little from side to side, she strode past him and the barrier reactivated. "Your first class will be at eight o'clock this evening. I suggest you determine a curriculum in the meantime."

Roman smiled and took that as a no.

The door slammed shut and he was alone, the silent hum of the barrier the only accompanying noise. Looking back at his scroll, he tapped at it a few times with his fingers, taking note that there was no password on it. Seeing as how this was something that Ozpin no doubt had remote access to, a password would only be a hindrance to Roman.

It also meant that he would need to be careful about what he put into it. This was in addition to the needed caution regarding what he shared with the police and Ozpin when they finally sat down and interrogated him.

But that could wait a little longer. Navigating his fingers through the files, he came upon the set of student data and pictures.

He soon found himself chuckling.

"You've given me a bunch of teenage students - the ripest age for terrible mistakes and influencing them to do it. That's handicapping yourself."

Still, though - Instructor Torchwick.

Roman had to admit that Ozpin certainly knew how to make a deal sound even nicer than it already was.

* * *

It was becoming early evening in the student dormitory. Most would be preparing to start their homework or slacking from it. However, Weiss noted that for her team leader, Ruby, there was a sensation of confusion that had been building up for the entire day. The way the girl kept glancing at her handheld device every other moment made her wonder if she was expecting an email. But with the way her eyes would squint ever so slightly and how the center of her lips rise a little, she could tell that the girl was in deep thought.

Weiss wasn't sure what was worse as she watched her throughout the day - the dainty, childish face that seemed to be a sign of trouble, or the fact that something was clearly bothering her partner.

Eventually, she shook the thought away and returned to the history book in her lap, the white sheets clashing against the brown and red of her uniform. She was probably going to finally snap and give a sigh of frustration. And sure enough, there was a shuffle from above her and she looked up. Ice blue eyes met soft silver ones.

"Hey, Weiss."

What she did not expect to see was Ruby's head hanging over the side of her haphazardly suspended bunk bed, her black and red locks controlled by gravity to create a strange frame around her face.

"Can I see your scroll? I want to check our class schedule."

Surprise turned into confusion as she bit back the wild shake of her heart. "Why? If we shared a team course, wouldn't we all have it?"

"Well…" Ruby trailed off, turning her eyes away from her. "It's just that on my schedule it shows that we have a class at eight tonight."

"That's really late for a class..." Weiss said, brushing her white bangs away from her head, shooting a quick glance at the clock. "I don't think I've ever seen one that late before."

"I asked some of the older students too, and none of them ever reported having such a late class."

Reaching into her pocket to pull out her own scroll, she navigated to her schedule and saw that the time period was blank on hers - whatever class Ruby had was not listed. "I don't have anything. Do you know what your class is about?"

"Eh…" Ruby weakly chuckled. "Well, earlier I tried to open up the class to see what it was about, but all I got was that it was classified."

"Classified?" Weiss felt her eyebrows rise.

"Class Subject: Classified. Instructor: Classified. Purpose: Classified."

"Ruby, are you sure-"

"And I got an email from one of the administrative accounts from Beacon asking us to arrive combat ready at the sparring hall."

"Us? But it's not in my-"

"Yes, us. It's underlined."

The book slammed shut, a small growl escaping from her lips. "Fine," she huffed. "Let's grab Blake and Yang and get going."

* * *

"Hey, Rubes."

"Yeah?"

"Are you uh… Are you sure you got this right?"

"I already showed you the email, Yang. Yes, this is right."

Weiss watched as Ruby rolled her eyes for the fifth time. The bright spotlights focusing on the stage contrasted sharply against the dimmer lighting for the audience seating.

"But this is really odd," a smoother voice came from her left - Blake. "No one else has the class on their schedule, but when we came in it was as if everything was set up for a normal class." The left side of her bowtie, product of a ribbon going over the top of her black hair, gave a strong twitch. It was a sign Weiss had come to realize that the Faunus next to her was particularly irritated, more so than a regular instance. Her hidden cat ears, especially her left one, seemed to do that unconsciously whenever that was the case. Whether she was irritated because she was dragged here or because the stage clearly showed that they were expected was unsaid.

"But where's everyone else?" Yang gave a frustrated sigh, dragging her fingers through her blonde hair and leaning back. "I could be working on that essay I need to finish up."

As if on cue, the door opened behind them and Weiss turned around, taking note that her quick partner was the first to act.

"Jaune?"

"Ruby? What are you doing here?" the lanky blonde looked and saw that, indeed, team RWBY had been seated in the audience. The rest of his team was also present, mirroring the same confused looks that the girls had.

"Classified."

"Huh," he scratched the back of his head, "Us too. You got that weird email, right?"

"Yeah."

"So I guess we're not alone in this class then."

Quietly shuffling to take a seat, Jaune spoke up again. "So did your email state anything about this class besides being combat ready?"

"Nope."

Weiss saw Jaune give a rare scowl, something he seemed to avoid doing whenever he was in her presence. The frustration of his brow mirrored all of theirs, and she could only hear the barest of whispers among the students. Only Nora seemed excited at the prospect of the class. Her orange hair whipped back and forth as she peppered Ren with questions and thoughts about why they were all here.

After several more minutes though, the doors behind them opened and eight heads turned to face it, their eyes looking beady in the darkness.

She found herself speaking first "Professor Ozpin?"

"Good evening RWBY and JNPR. I'm sorry for arriving late," he spoke, walking to the front of the seating. He lacked the usual cup of coffee in his hands, instead carrying his cane with him. However, he was not using it as one as he moved up the aisle, grasping it around the base instead of on top of it.

"You're going to be our instructor?" Ruby sounded hopeful, imagining what they might be learning that was so important to be classified.

He gave an uncharacteristic huff, taking a slow breath and blinking his eyes as he reached the center. "I suppose it's time to stop keeping you in the dark." He gave a careful glance at each team before speaking, a new sharpness on his face that neither team had seen before. "Before we begin though, I must make one thing clear."

"What I am about to share with you and what will transpire here must not leave this room. You are not to tell another student about what is going on. Do I have your word?"

A heavy silence fall across the room. Weiss watched as uncomfortable glares were traded between teammates before the leaders nodded their consent. Nora saluted. With a final nod, Ozpin began to speak again.

"There has been a rise in criminal activity, reported both on and off the airwaves. And while I would like to believe that humanity would never fight amongst each other in a perfect world, Remnant is far from perfect. We are fast approaching a time where we may have to fight against others not in a war of nations, but in a war against lawlessness. And in this approaching time, we will need someone to combat it."

"Wait. Waitwaitwait," Ruby rose out of her seat, hands gripping the back of the chair in front of her, her knuckles almost turning white. "Are you saying that this class is going to be like… superhero training?" her voice fell quiet as she neared the end of the sentence, finishing at just a bit more than a whisper.

Weiss couldn't help but scoff, grabbing a fistful of her black and red skirt before softly dragging her back down into her seat. "Let him finish, Ruby."

"It's not quite like that, though it may appear to be the case," Ozpin started, his hand tightening his grip on his cane. "In tales and stories, super heroes arrive just in time. Stop the villain, protect the people, save the day. As with many tales and stories, this is unfortunately far from the truth. A lot of times law enforcement is reactionary. It is not easy to prevent a burglary from happening - often we get a situation where instead they must chase after the culprit."

"While there are many discourses on what causes crime, the goal of this course is to work against established criminals and take the fight to the source. However, many of you have combat accolades that are for battling Grimm. Fighting the criminally aligned is something that Beacon is not properly equipped for with its current curriculum. And so you have been invited to this new class to be the first to be trained with this in mind, to not just be hunters of Grimm but to specifically be hunters of men."

The students hung onto his every word, the last piece echoing off the sides of the hall as the seriousness began to take form in their minds. Weiss found herself on the edge of her seat. His words were knives to her heart, and yet like wings it gave her flight. Many people she had known had disappeared for their connection to the Schnee Dust Company. To hear that she was selected to fight back was something she hadn't expected but was more than ready to accept.

"I will admit, though," Ozpin carefully paused, "that to enter this world is dangerous, if not mentally stressful. To fight a Grimm is to fight a beast of instincts and muscle. To fight a human is to engage in a clash of wills, minds, and emotions. You may have to work with people you never want to see, choose between things you never want to risk, and possibly even lose those you love. So before we begin in earnest, I am offering both of you the opportunity to step away from this class. This decision is not to be made lightly, and I will not look down upon you for doing so."

The answer to Weiss was obvious, and a quick glance to her teammates showed that they felt the same way. They could finally take steps to stop the White Fang, to protect her father's company, to stop-

Pyrrha rose to her feet first, her long red ponytail bobbing from the force she rose with. "I'll do it."

She watched as Ozpin gave a small smile, but shook his head. "I appreciate the sentiment, Miss Nikos, but this is not to be made on an individual basis." He looked at Jaune and Ruby. "Your leaders must decide for you."

Ruby rose from her seat again, looking Ozpin dead in the eye. "We will. We've done some vigilante things that… well… straddle the line. But we've been looking an opportunity to pursue this. Team RWBY accepts."

The man at the front gave a short nod, remaining neutral. He turned to Jaune, who had leaned forward, dragging his hands through his hair.

"That's… That's a lot to think about," he let a breath of air out. "I mean, doing the right thing is always better than doing the wrong thing, but… it's not an easy path, especially when you lay it out like that."

"Jaune," Pyrrha looked over, the chains of her bronze circlet jingling softly, "this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We became hunters to protect against the darkness. This is just specialized training to guide us."

"I know that you want to do it and can, Pyrrha," he slowly said. "But as a leader, it's not just about what I feel or what another feels. The professor's right. This isn't just an individual choice." He turned to Nora and Ren, the other male on the team. "Do you two have any thoughts?"

Nora turned to Ren, who looked back at her before brushing a hand through his messy black hair and gazing at Jaune. "We… we have less to lose, so to speak. And if we're identified for a role where we fit the bill, I see no reason for Nora or me to walk away."

Jaune's gaze fell to the floor and another breath passed through him. Ozpin remained still, and finally the teen spoke to fill the silence, glazing his eyes over the rest of Weiss' team. He didn't stop on her as he usually did. "I… I know RWBY is perfect for the job - this seems right up their alley. As for my team, Pyrrha has the skills for it and the drive to learn more. Ren and Nora have no objections and are certainly capable in a fight." He looked up towards the man at the front. "But with the way you say it, you make it sound like you didn't just pick us over any other team, but also in regards to us as a team, not individuals."

"Why me? What do I bring to the table?"

Ozpin's shoulders rose and fell with his breath. "I'm afraid I cannot answer in a way you would find satisfactory. I have noticed no special powers or particularly extraordinary facets in terms of combat." The boy visibly fell at this, but Ozpin continued. "However, what I do see is a young man who, for the most part, is trying his best to be morally upstanding. One who, as you have just demonstrated, can judge and strike a balance between what is right and what is the objective. What is just is not always moral, and this line of work may be fraught with blurred lines. You might not have the confidence for it all now, but I think that when the time comes, you'll be very good at grounding both teams in reality."

"And perhaps most importantly, you're not afraid to ask why."

Jaune's head rose, teeth biting his lips.

"You'll do fine. You always have," Pyrrha laid a reassuring hand on him.

Finally, Weiss watched as he slowly stood up, and she watched as his mind solidified its conclusion. "You're right in that I don't like your answer. But I think I understand what you mean and I appreciate it." He looked Ozpin in the eye. "Team JNPR accepts."

He nodded in response. "Thank you for trusting me with your team, Jaune."

The headmaster then rose to his full height, looking over the eight students. "Team RWBY, Team JNPR, welcome to Criminal Specialties Class."

Ruby raised her hand, causing Ozpin and everyone else to look over. "Um… not to break the seriousness of it all, but… In regards to 'the Grimm in the room' so to speak, who's our instructor?"

"Well, he's the reason why we are late to begin with. He was being…" the man at the front gave a sigh, a brief look of dissatisfaction on his face, "I suppose uncooperative is the easiest way to put it."

The doors behind the seats opened with a slam. Weiss whipped her head towards the entrance and she felt her jaw drop and eyes widen. She didn't even register the two Atlas guards that also entered, though they remained at their station near the door.

Roman Torchwick stood with his back against the light, creating a harsh silhouette.

"Oh, come on, Ozpin," the man said, casually twirling a wooden cane as he walked towards the stage. When he finally reached the end of the walkway, he shot one quick look at the headmaster before facing the audience, the light glaring off of his immediately recognizable white coat, black bowler hat, and impeccably tied gray scarf. "The least you can do is call me an asshole."

Suddenly, Weiss' idea of fighting back against the criminals that hurt her family had become a jumbled mess.

Ruby was the first to recover. "Y-You?"

"Me."

"You're our professor?"

"I hope you weren't expecting Santa Claus, Red." He set his cane down with a solid clack, resting his hands on the handle. "And it's instructor to you. 'Professor' makes me feel old."

"Well, it would have been nice if it was Santa Claus…"

His smile widened. "I can tell you right now that you're going to be very disappointed in that regard."

Weiss watched as his smile grew even further when Yang rose to her feet and began to leap from chair to chair at him with a roar, her gauntlets priming themselves to strike.


	3. The Face Of The Enemy

"Yang!"

It was much to Roman's pleasure that the headmaster had yelled. The blonde girl stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled at the order. Looking at Ozpin, her eyes widened and her mouth fell.

"Oh god," her eyes turned to Roman and back to Ozpin, "you're serious about this instructor stuff."

"That would be correct." The man at the front started to speak again. "Before you stands Roman H. L. Torchwick. Publicly he is known as one of the most dangerous criminals in Remnant. Prior to that, however, and perhaps even now, he was one of the best huntsmen I have seen in my life."

"I somehow doubt that," Blake said, her left ear twitching twice.

"Whether you believe it or not, Miss Belladonna, one fact stands clear." Ozpin continued. "To date, a large percentage of the hunters that attempted to reap the bounty on his head were killed or otherwise disappeared. Very can boast about surviving an encounter with him. As morbid as it may sound, it is a testament to his ability."

There was a silence in the hall, broken only by Pyrrha raising her hand. "If… Mr. Torchwick has such a track record, how was he apprehended?"

Roman's smile faltered, if only briefly. The headmaster glanced over at him, giving him a look to continue where he left off. "My colleague betrayed me. And we're going to use this opportunity to fight back. Ozpin wants me to teach you lot on how to catch a criminal by thinking like one. And as our first task, we are going to catch my co-conspirators."

There was another interruption, this time from Jaune. "Professor, are you sure that this is the wise? I mean… he's a criminal. A very _wanted_ criminal."

"We have our concerns for that as well," Ozpin started again. "If you'll look back, you'll see that he is under surveillance. I assure you that you will be safe, not to mention that you are the top two teams among the first years. As for his background, it is exactly why we need him. As I mentioned, this is not a class about combat, though I wouldn't be surprised if Roman took you through a few courses on that. The more important part is the knowledge of how criminals act - something that he is well established in. If we can understand why they act and what they wish to achieve, then we will be better at predicting what they will do."

The headmaster turned towards Roman. "Now that general introductions are over-"

"Why us?" the rest of the students turned to Ren, who had spoken out. Ozpin was about to answer, but Roman cut him off.

"That's quite a question," he exclaimed. "You could be asking why you're qualified, or why you were chosen. Which one are you looking for?"

A brief silence followed his question, and Ren shifted under his gaze. "Why we were chosen. There are a myriad of others who could do our role and have more experience."

Gazing back to Ozpin, Roman gave a short but patronizing bow, extending his gloved hand to the headmaster. "All yours."

With a deep breath, Ozpin continued. "You are chosen because the enemy will least suspect students in training. Outside forces might be too high-profile to maintain secrecy. And given Team RWBY's current level of involvement and how close Team JNPR is to them, as well as your shared combat accolades, the choice was obvious."

The answer seemed to placate the students, and the headmaster turned towards Roman. "If there are any other questions, please let me know and I will do my best to answer them. In the meantime, the floor is yours Roman. I will be watching you." His grip on his cane tightened as he walked down towards the exit.

Finally, Roman had the stage to himself. Looking through the seats, he carefully scanned each of the students and thought back to the notes about the individual students on his scroll, watching as they fidgeted under his gaze.

_Jaune Arc_

_Leader of team JNPR. Male, 17, blonde hair, blue eyes, 6'1" (1.85 meters). Partner: Pyrrha Nikos. Overwhelmingly average, sans reports of being told he has a larger than usual aura by his partner. No known semblance, though there have been observed instances where flashes of light have protected him. Disambiguation from normal aura use, however, is difficult, and it is debatable if it is actually his semblance. Uses a sword and shield for combat, Crocea Mors, claiming that it has been passed down from the males in his family line starting with his great-great-grandfather. Does not seem to utilize dust during combat. Strong sense of morality and seeks to achieve great things, though he often seems weak-willed. Despite how he [REDACTED], Beacon has accepted his application because [REDACTED]._

He was perhaps the easiest one to manipulate. However, his lack of a semblance was both a blessing and a curse. This meant that apart from what weapons he brought with him, there was nothing special about him - just a sword and shield user who seemed like he could take a beating. But this also carried the risk that his semblance, if he did have one, could awaken at an inopportune time. Jaune was both a boon and a danger to his plan. He would need to steer him away from instances that might awaken his semblance, make sure that there is enough distance between the two of them if it does, or otherwise guide him to forget that he might even have one. Still, when the time came, it would be easy to have Jaune separate from Roman if the data about his moral compass was correct.

_Nora Valkyrie_

_Member of team JNPR. Female, 17, orange hair, green eyes, 5'1" (1.55 meters). Partner: Lie Ren. Orphaned, comes from a very different background compared to most students. May not have a full grasp of social skills as a result. Only friend was Lie Ren until the formation of JNPR. Often airheaded and may lose herself in her own conversation. Is sociable, but to a fault - almost never seen without friends, especially Ren, who acts like a grounder to her upbeat and excitable attitude. May have attachment and self-esteem issues stemming from fear of being left alone. Wields a hammer named Magnhild that can turn into a grenade launcher that shoots explosive dust rounds. Brings raw, explosive strength to any fight. Semblance allows her to absorb electricity to strengthen her own strikes, giving her the potential to negate certain types of attacks and turn it onto her enemies. Beacon has accepted her because of her potential to cause massive damage when focused on the objective as well as based upon the broad uses and power of her semblance._

This was also another student that he could easily manipulate. With her lack of self-esteem and reliance upon Lie Ren, if he controlled him then he could control her. Likewise, if he could somehow get the boy hurt but not killed, it would most likely cause Nora to turn her focus onto protecting her partner. And with her air-headedness, it would be easy for him to slip by, especially if the boy was unconscious and unable to offer guidance.

_Pyrrha Nikos_

_Member of JNPR. Female, 17, red hair, bright green eyes, 5'9" (1.75 meters). Partner: Jaune Arc. Champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament for the past four years. Was a celebrity starting at thirteen. Though not pronounced, may have created social difficulties for her - it is possible that she had little to no peers to engage with at the time. Has a strong sense of right and wrong, is willing to take action to correct what she feels is an injustice to others - she can socially and physically afford to. Absolutely proficient with Miló, a javelin that can also transform into both a sword and rifle, and Akoúo̱, a shield. Her celebrity status and stellar skill warranted her acceptance into Beacon without a second thought. Is rumored to have romantic feelings for her partner, but no direct observations are available. No observed semblance, though she may be hiding it to maintain an advantage in future tournaments._

This was a dangerous character. The girl had clearly proven her strength in meted combat, and may be smart enough to see through some of his plans. Her desire for justice could be utilized against him, but if he contrasted it between morality, it may suddenly become harder for her to make a choice. Making her choose between saving people and chasing him could become the difference that Roman needed. And with how she may be romantically invested with her partner and leader, who was more driven by morality, it would be easy for him to get her to move away at the critical moment.

_Lie Ren_

_Member of JNPR. Male, 17, black hair with a pink lock at the front, pink eyes, 5'9" (1.75 meters). Partner: Nora Valkyrie. Orphaned, became friends with Nora Valkyrie at young age. Quiet, prefers solitude. Despite differences, the two have remained close friends since the beginning. Often observed as a counterbalance for Nora and is able to ground her personality. Displays a large amount of trust in Jaune, following his commands with little to no questions. Wields a pair of SMGs named Stormflower that have blades fashioned downward at the front, made for stabbing at close range. Has been observed to be very fast and proficient in hand-to-hand combat and aura use, though his stamina is not as high as the others. No observed semblance._

Another character Roman needed to observe and tread carefully around. Of the data provided, he was given the least for this member and had little to work with. Still, with how much Nora seemed to follow him and how, in return, he seemed to allow her to follow him, it was important to figure out what made Ren tick. There was still the possibility of putting him in a position where he may get hurt more easily, but it was dangerous because others may shift the blame onto him and end up with more sanctions on himself. It would be difficult, but he would have to find a way to either control him or hurt him only towards the end of the plan. If he could get Jaune to order Ren away and then have him get hurt, then that would be the best choice.

_Ruby Rose_

_Leader of RWBY. Female, 15, black hair with red tips, silver eyes, 5'2" (1.57 meters). Partner: Weiss Schnee. Other relations: Half-sister of teammate Yang Xiao Long. Quick to act and a little naive, may be prone to making poor choices. However, has proven to be a formidable force. Wields Crescent Rose, a collapsible scythe that can double as a high caliber sniper rifle. Observed semblance is pure speed, able to quickly move from one point to another. Unusually young for a Beacon student, but was accepted due to her actions in stopping a local dust shop robbery by criminal kingpin Roman Torchwick and upon the headmaster's rare insistence. Youngest student to have been accepted into Beacon, is also the youngest student to be made a team leader. Though at first concerned about her role as a leader, has made steady progress and has shown improvement in her decision-making._

This was a face that he wasn't surprised to see on his scroll. The damned girl had been the whole reason why he was betrayed in the first place. And to see that she was to be his students was both angering and yet intriguing. She would follow him to no end, perhaps even see him as her personal responsibility. She would do all she can to ensure that he did nothing out of line. But that meant that if he got the others to separate, she would be left alone and he could easily defeat her, maybe even kill her - a particular thought he relished.

_Blake Belladonna_

_Member of RWBY. Female, black hair, amber eyes, 5'6" (1.68 meters). Faunus trait: cat ears hidden beneath a black bow. Partner: Yang Xiao Long. Cool and calculating, little is actually known about her past. Had no transcripts or other documents to support her application for Beacon. Was instead subjected to the rigorous physical test and passed effortlessly. Despite possible lack of schooling, is often seen reading in apparent solitude and has some of the highest grades among the first years. Carefully keeps her Faunus traits hidden for fear of rejection among human peers. Wields Gambol Shroud, a short sword that can turn into a bladed SMG, which is tied to a long ribbon. Is capable of midrange fighting by using it as a tether. Has also been observed to use its sheath in combat. Moves with a fluidity learned only through extensive training. May be possible that she is leaving her past behind to try and define who she is now - a huntress in training. Observed semblance is body substitution. When physically struck, is able to quickly reposition herself and leave a brief afterimage behind. How frequently she can use it and whether it deflects some or all damage is yet to be seen. Has also been observed to use it offensively, mainly for disorientation._

Another character that bothered him. She and that other Faunus male had snuck into the White Fang meeting, ultimately leading to the loss of the Paladin that night. It was most likely what caused Cinder to turn his back on him. But he remembered what she yelled as she held her blade against his neck, how she called the White Fang her brothers. He knew exactly what she was running from, though why she was running was another issue in itself. Still, with how the White Fang were at Cinder's beck and call, he might be able to use her to sow discord among the organization. In addition, he held power over her in that he knew she was a Faunus, a secret she wanted to hide. It was a threat that could both keep her in line and have her unwittingly step out of the darkness when he needed it the most.

_Yang Xiao Long_

_Member of RWBY. Female, blonde hair, lilac eyes, 5'8" (1.73 meters). Partner: Blake Belladonna. Other relations: half-sister of teammate Ruby Rose. Outgoing and laid back, is almost polar opposite of partner. Hotheaded, confident, and is unafraid of altercations. Often charges head first into combat situations. Carries the most raw power among RWBY. Wields Ember Celica, a pair of gauntlets that are capable of firing small to medium size explosive rounds. Though strong, appears to be easily goaded into a battle that may seem to be unwinnable. However, observed semblance seems to grant explosive strength and speed upon taking damage. Hair begins to glow, sometimes even catching fire, and eyes turn red when semblance is active. How much damage is needed or how its power output is generated or calculated is unknown. Is strangely triggered by damage to her hair and may also be triggered by emotions. She was accepted into Beacon based on her strength and scores from her time at Signal Academy._

It was hard to forget how the blonde had punched through the Paladin after being smashed through a support pillar. Still, he was required to have a begrudging respect for her because of her strength. She needed to be managed, something that was harder to accomplish compared to Nora as she was very independent compared to the other. And since her semblance was one that required damage, it was important for him to gauge how it soon it took before it began to activate. But if she really was hotheaded, then that meant that if he could recognize the right opportunity she could be redirected to go elsewhere on her own.

As he reviewed the notes in his mind, gathering his thoughts about each student, his uncovered eye trailed over them, looking to try and absorb what he could. Most stiffened under his gaze while Yang, who had returned to her seat, leaned back and frowned.

But he had purposely avoided one of them. When he first saw her on the night he lost the Paladin, dressed in a white coat and skirt with black frills, he had his suspicions. But when he swiped his data over to her on his scroll last night, he had indeed found himself staring back at who he thought it was.

_Weiss Schnee_

Everyone knew that last name. It was a symbol of quality that was appreciated by all walks of life, both civil and the underground. They were a high-value target for many raids and thus had a level of security far beyond the normal scope. They were one of the most difficult targets to steal from, but Schnee dust on the black market fetched a high price. With how dangerous illegal activities often were, misfires needed to be the least of one's worries.

Finally turning his gaze over to the young heiress, he watched as she straightened her back under his carefully placed smile.

_Member of RWBY. Female, white hair, light-blue eyes, 5' (1.52 meters). Partner: Ruby Rose. Currently slated to be the inheritor of the Schnee Dust Company and born into a position of high social status and luxury. Often exhibits callousness towards others, though as seen with her team is capable of establishing friendly relations. Avoids the topic of her father's company when able, displaying an image of dislike towards the subject. Possibly seeking to separate herself from the image of the company. Wields Myrtenaster, a rapier with a loading chamber for dust cartridges. Is the most proficient with dust among her team. Observed semblance is the traditional Schnee glyph, which is most commonly used as a platform for movement as well as summoning. Unlike the very first Schnee's glyphs, however, its role has been expanded to incorporate advanced dust use as well as limited time manipulation. While unusual for an Atlas student to be allowed to transfer to a hunter academy outside of its borders, she was ultimately allowed to apply and be accepted by Beacon._

As much as he hated to say it, Weiss seemed almost too perfect. Aside from how she wanted to distance herself from her father's company, she seemed to lack an immediate flaw that the others had, something that he could use against her. This meant that an active observation would be needed if he were to pick out something, or he would have to find a way to ask questions to see what drove her, to find her weakness.

He could arrange for that in time. For now, though, he had a class to teach, and he needed to lay some groundwork.

He tore his gaze away from the students and began to pace the stage.

"Can anyone define what a criminal is? Let me hear some definitions."

There was a scoff in the audience, and he glanced over to see Yang looking back with a sneer. "Funny hearing that from you."

Roman only smiled and continued, hand grasping the loop of the wooden cane as he clacked it along the ground. Funny to hear that indeed - her partner was once a White Fang member, after all. "Oh, I know what I am. I'm wondering if you do." He raised his hand and beckoned them to answer. "Let's hear your thoughts."

Ruby was the first to speak. "They're evil people who want to do evil things."

"Wrong. Next."

Pyrrha's response was more grounded in reality. "People trying to get ahead at the expense of others."

"Closer, but still wrong."

The remaining students began to look among themselves, and hushed whispers sprouted between them. He continued to pace, waiting for someone to give him an answer.

Nora was the next to venture out, not even paying attention to the debate around her. "They're assholes?"

He gave a slow sigh, his smile dropping away as he shook his head at her response. "Come on, now. Try harder. This isn't a trick question." There was more talking and conferring between the two teams, but a clear voice cut over it.

"The definition of a criminal is a person who has committed a crime."

Roman stopped his pacing, stopped his cane clacking. Looking into the audience, he saw all eyes focused on Weiss, who was giving him a cautious look.

"That," he started, his slow voice solemnly echoing across the hall, "would be correct. A criminal is a person who has committed a crime. And what constitutes as a crime is a socially, and sometimes historically, determined construction."

His gaze shifted to Ruby. "A criminal is not always evil. A man who steals bread to feed his children has broken the law by stealing from another. But society would view his situation as pitiable rather than malignant."

Next was Pyrrha, and she remained defiant under his gaze. "A co-worker seeking a promotion would naturally benefit at the expense of those who were also vying for the same position. But instead he or she is greeted with applause upon their success."

He blinked and turned his eyes onto Nora. "A schoolyard bully might be an asshole, but he's not a criminal - as a minor he is granted certain protections that prevent him from being deemed as one."

He started to pace again. "This does not mean, however, that they are mutually exclusive traits. Socially, you have been trained to see criminals as such, and that is because oftentimes they are seen together in a person. But keep in mind while a person only becomes a criminal when they commit a crime, they are not seen as one legally until there is sufficient evidence to warrant an accusation and cause for arrest. I would know that."

"Get to the point already." Another voice came up, this time a different one. Looking over towards RWBY, he was amused to see that it was Blake who had spoken up. Perhaps all this criminal talk was beginning to grate away at her.

A quick frown came to his lips, and his eyes looked harshly at the Faunus. "You weren't ready for the point several minutes ago. Otherwise you lot wouldn't have gotten everything wrong. But now that we have the semantics out of the way, it's time to start asking the real questions."

"Have any of you ever met a criminal besides yours truly?"

The teams were silent, looking at the floor, at the sides of the hall, but not at him.

Only Blake and Weiss returned his stare. Blake was characteristically calm, something he was expecting from her given her own origin. But he found himself lingering for just a little longer than he expected on the white-haired girl. Her eyes narrowed at him, and her head tilted forward just a tiny fraction. But her hands were folded in the lap of her white dress, the covered one forming a fist. A guarded posture.

"Have any of you ever talked to one before?"

No change in the students. No change in Weiss.

"Have you ever stared one in the eye when he has his gun ready to shoot and is demanding every little thing you've got?"

Blake scrunched her eyes shut and took a deep breath. Weiss stayed the same.

"I thought so," Roman resumed pacing again, blinking and letting his eyes focus on the walls. He curled his lips into a small smile, erasing his previous sharp features. "Many of you have only seen criminals through the looking glass. You hadn't seen one in real life until you met me, and so you've never had to fight one. I will let you know right now that to fight a criminal is more than just fighting a student in a sparring match. To use your headmaster's words, those are just a momentary glance of what it means to fight a person."

"I'm not here to just teach you how to fight a person. I'm going to try and teach you what goes into a criminal act, the planning around it, and what you need to watch for if you're going to fight criminals."

"However, I am just so unfortunate enough to also require your survival," he pitched. He came to a stop before squaring his shoulders and looking over the students, placing his cane at the front of his body. "And you're up against the worst that humanity has to offer. Since you as individuals have your own styles and will develop your own little tricks over time to give you an edge, I am instead going to focus on three combat principles."

Roman's eyes fell upon Yang and she seemed to perk at the mention of fighting. "Now then, Yang was it?"

"Yeah?" He could already hear Ember Celica priming itself again as she ignored the looks of her teammates.

"I believe you were trying to accomplish something at the start of this course. I hope you're willing to pick up where you left off." Taking a hand off of his cane, he gestured to the left side of the stage.

"Thought you'd never ask." Yang had already risen from her seat and was stomping over to where he directed her, taking the open invitation to a fight.

"Now, now, hold on a moment, Blondie," He quickly raised his hand, wagging a finger at her. Her eyes narrowed angrily and lips frowned. "Remember, we're in a classroom setting, and more importantly I'm not a barbarian," he smiled at her expense. "We only fight with the purpose of learning. So, I have a few adjustments to mention."

Roman held up three fingers and walked towards the right side of the arena. "You get three tries to hit me with your best, hardest strike. I will also tell you right now that I will let myself be hit by the first but negate it, dodge the second, and stop your third, so you better give me your best. Don't want to disappoint your instructor on the first day, do you?"

"Hmph. Hope you're ready for a beat down."

Saying nothing else, the blonde leaped into action from her side of the stage, her right arm pulled back and ready to strike.


	4. Basic Expectations

Her attack was horribly telegraphed. Anyone with a brain would have tried to move out of the way.

But that wasn't what Roman was here to do. He needed to both teach the students and also making a display to ensure that they followed. While they might have been his responsibility, they were also going to be his tools to ensure his success and unwitting accomplices in escape.

As Yang drew closer, he let out a quick breath and raised a hand to match her incoming fist. The next moment the two hands collided and Ember Celica let out its characteristic bang and flare, ejecting the used dust shell.

The characteristic knockback she had expected did not happen, and the shock clearly showed on her face. Roman let nothing out, only an easy smile. He pushed her fist away and she reeled back, eyes glued to the gauntlet.

Ember Celica had primed its shell, had fired, and yet it did nothing to the man in front of Yang.

He broke the silence coming from the other students. "Surprised, Blondie?"

She looked back at him, fierce eyes now cooling into one of contemplation and concern.

_Fear._

His grin widened as his visible eye bore sharply into hers.

He liked that fear.

"How did you do that?" There was no trace of that cockiness that she exuded a minute ago.

He glanced towards the students, enjoying the new dangerous light they were seeing him in. They all knew how strong one of Yang's punches were. Yet they had probably never seen someone block it so casually.

He turned back to the girl in front of him. "The first guideline is proper aura manipulation. If there's one thing you kids are to walk away with, it should be that. It is more important than any technique you may carry, as all techniques will draw from your aura." He removed his glove from his right hand, showing them the pristine and unbroken skin for all to see. "And just like how you can use it to enhance your punch or empower your weapon, you can use it to defend yourself from someone."

Putting his glove back on, he placed his hand back on the cane and began to walk to the side that Yang had started from, brushing past the blonde's guarded gaze. "It's one of the first things you should have learned when you started training to be a hunter, but it's also easy to forget defense when we're so focused on fighting single-minded Grimm. A human learns from its mistakes and will move to strike you where you're least expecting it."

Raising the hand that held the cane, he took a breath, channeling his aura into the piece of wood and stabbing it into the stage with a crunch. Roman turned back to Yang and gestured for her to come.

"Ready for round two? And please, less telegraphing." He smiled at her, "At least try to hit me."

This time, he watched as she took a deep breath, eyes refusing to leave his. She then slowly walked up until she was within punching distance.

"Well?" he lulled, "I'm waiting."

With a snap, her body sprang into action. Her right fist rocketed out in a straight line for his jaw, forcing his right foot to backpedal and angle himself for the strike to cross harmlessly in front of him. But then a sudden left hook came his way and he tucked his body towards its side.

So, Blondie wanted to mess around. He could do that too. As she pulled back for a third strike he twisted his body, stepping in and delivering his own uppercut into the side of her jaw. Her head careened back and she staggered away, letting out a hiss of pain.

"Glad to see that you're taking the initiative to play dirty. But don't forget who your competition is."

All she did was shoot an ugly glare at him. He smirked back before turning to the students.

Blake had risen to her feet.

"As I said earlier, the first guideline is proper aura use. By extension, the second guideline would be to avoid using it unless necessary." He retrieved his cane from the stage, giving it a twirl before resting it on his shoulders. "If you're going to use your aura, make sure it serves a purpose. Any aura wasted is the same as not having any."

"Now then, before we begin with the final altercation, there are a few things I want to check first." He looked at Ruby. "Can you tell me what Yang's aura level is at, Red?"

The girl fumbled in her pocket before pulling out her scroll. "It's at ninety eight percent. Why?"

Roman's lips curled as he turned his gaze towards Yang, "Good to hear. Now then Yang, before your third and final blow let me offer some well-needed adjustments to your form." Walking towards her, he spun the cane part way and let his grip fall towards the bottom. Pulling his arms back, he prepared to swing the weapon like a bat. The blonde girl looked up into his sharp eyes and he saw a flash of recognition flicker across her face. She instinctively raised her hand to block the oncoming strike, only to find that nothing greeted her.

A low chuckle escaped from his chest, bouncing across the hall as he let the cane fall back into place, his hands rest at the top of the curve. "Oh please, Blondie. No need to be so scared." He began to walk towards her side, not turning to face her. "I'm not going to kill you."

"I'm just going to hurt you a little bit."

With a sudden snap his cane swung to his left, collided with the back of her knee and quickly sending her into a kneeling position. His body gave a harsh twist to the left, putting all the force into his right foot as it smashed into the back of her head. Her face collided fiercely with the stage.

"How else would you show me what you're really capable of, after all?"

He could hear weapons coming out from the students and the Atlas guards aiming from the back of the room. Blake had come up to the stage, Gambol Shroud ready to slice into him, when a gruff voice came from below him.

"Wait."

Yang had begun to rise from the ground, and Roman moved to the side, back to the right portion of the stage.

Turning around, he saw Blake help pick her partner back up, trying to reason with the her, but the blonde girl put a hand on her shoulder. She pulled back a little bit and spat something red onto the stage.

"Yang-"

"Not. Now."

Raising her head at him, he found himself staring at Yang's lilac eyes, a trickle of blood trailing from the side of her lip.

"I suggest you listen to her, kitty cat." He turned towards the audience, once again looking at Ruby. The girl recoiled under his unwavering gaze. "What's her aura at now?"

She fumbled with her scroll. "She's… She's at eightyfive percent."

"Hm, looks like I still have to make a few changes." He straightened up and once again grasped the straight end of his cane. "I wonder - how long does it take until your semblance starts to show?"

Yang grinned angrily, raising her fingers to the tail end of her bangs and yanked, letting the stray hairs fall to the floor. "If you wanted me to kill you, you only needed to ask."

He watched as her eyes turned red, and her body began to radiate some form of heat, the air around her rippling and bending. Blake gave one last look at Roman before walking off to the side of the stage.

"Kick his ass."

"Hmph." He stretched out his hand and motioned for her to move. "Come at me, Blondie."

She dashed at him, once again pulling her right fist back, telegraphing her strike. Rather than block like last time, he ducked under and delivered a quick punch to the side of her stomach. Instead of recoiling, though, Yang pushed through the pain and swung with her own cross. While his aura blocked the damage to his body, he still felt himself rock from the impact and the explosion that came afterwards. Another fist collided against his cheek and he was knocked off his feet and towards the side, catching himself just in time to push away from a quick leap strike and putting some distance between them.

So, Yang would be more than happy to expose herself to damage and push through to land her own attack. It made sense - her semblance worked off of getting hurt, after all. But while he could tell that she was putting more speed and power in her strikes, something about it felt off. Though she had assistance from her team, somehow her punch did not seem to match the output she had that night. Perhaps manually activating it caused it to burn quicker and weaker than letting it occur on its own? Or did the combined efforts of her teammates give her that much additional power? He tucked the piece of information away for further investigation.

Rising to his feet, Roman took out a cigar and held it in his left hand before eying the girl. "I wonder, Blondie," he let his voice take a mocking tone, "if you had come at me with all that power for your very first strike, do you think I could have still caught it?"

She took the bait. "Let's find out the hard way!"

Dashing in at him, she twisted her body left, bringing her right fist with all her strength across where his face was. There was an impact, and Ember Celica shot forth another explosive round, covering him in a momentary heat.

However, she felt her arm lock into place and there was no follow through. Looking once the flames had faded, she saw a lit cigar blocking her fist. In the brief moment of surprise, the loop of Roman's cane had wound itself around her leg and tugged towards him, causing her to crash onto her back.

He leaned over her body, the burning cigar annoyingly bright. "Thanks for the light. I appreciate it." He casually walked away from Yang and turned towards the students, taking a drag before letting out a slow, smoky breath.

"Guideline number three - pull no punches. Use your semblance, use your environment, use your weapon, use anything you can get your hands on. Because at the end of the day, you're up against scum like me. If you're not going into that fight with everything you have, don't go in. Wait until you either have everything or you're sure you have the upper hand."

"Class is dismissed."

Much to his intrigue, Weiss had stood up and immediately stormed out of the hall, leaving her other teammates to pick up after Yang. Ruby had shot a quick look at the girl in white, though she ultimately remained behind to look after her sister.

Team RWBY was shaping up to be the more interesting of the two so far, and there was certainly good reason for it. Ruby and he had multiple run-ins, Blake had interrupted a White Fang rally, and Yang had been the one to destroy the Paladin he was piloting. But Weiss, aside from being the heiress to the company he had stolen from countless times, lacked any real personal connection to him. However, she seemed to be the most affected of the four.

He would have to ponder upon that later. For now, the Atlas guards were beginning to approach him, no doubt preparing to take him back to his room.

* * *

"That was a brutal first lesson."

"Did you really think so? I thought it was a good introductory course. Learning the basics rarely killed anyone, after all."

Several days had passed after the initial class. Since then, nothing had happened - all he had to entertain himself was resting, eating, simple exercises, and planning.

Lots of planning.

Roman knew that sooner or later he would be pulled in for questioning. He was expecting Ozpin to be present and that blonde huntress with glasses as well.

The Atlesian general, however, was unexpected. But it did explain all of the soldiers in the area. He recognized the face, but couldn't quite put a name to the image. His graying hair was an obvious testament to his age, but he still looked sharp, perhaps only just approaching fifty. Prim buttons, ironed coat and slacks. It was something that he might have entertained wearing if it wasn't so militarized.

The four of them and two guards were in Ozpin's office. The clock gears grinded away methodically above their heads, held securely by fastened bolts and blocked by reinforced clear crystal. All around them was circular glass, overlooking the campus, parts of the city of Vale, and the Cross Continental Transmit tower.

Still the same office, after all this time.

The blonde huntress spoke. "Need I remind you that you're here to teach them, not put them in a hospital? The guards were about to shoot you."

Roman scoffed darkly, "That hasn't stopped me before."

"I'd like to see you try and stop a slug the size of a golf ball, Torchwick," the general leaned forward in his seat across from the table. The man cut a tall, imposing figure, and his movements seemed calculated. He was trying to intimidate him.

Too bad Roman was not one to be intimidated. Not by this, at least. He glared back.

"I'd like to see you suck a dick."

His quip generated the desired effect. The man froze and his nose wrinkled, and he heard the guards levying their guns against his head. As much as he knew that general disliked him, though, he also knew that they couldn't touch him. Not if he played this right.

" _Roman_ ," a heavy clack of a clay mug against polished glass echoed across the room, "I would appreciate it if you did not insult my guest. I don't think I need to remind you of who is in charge of enforcing your quarters."

He leaned back in his chair, resting a foot on top of his knee, "Why, he's been so accommodating I just had to return the favor. Isn't that just common courtesy?"

"Courtesy?" the huntress spoke again, "A courtesy would be-"

"Glynda," Ozpin extended a small gesture towards her and she huffed before giving in. The headmaster looked in Roman's direction before continuing. "With us today is Glynda Goodwitch and General James Ironwood from Atlas. As you know, Glynda is a part of the teaching staff here at Beacon and will be one of your enforcers. James, on the other hand, is here visiting for the Vytal Festival and its tournament. While his presence is unexpected, he has volunteered to assist with our shared goal."

What a nice way to put it.

"As you may already know, we are meeting here today to have you uphold your end of the bargain - information. I hope that you're able to share something with us."

Roman had thought about how he would play the interrogation. There were many approaches available, but he needed one that would get Ozpin to move as he wanted. Ironwood might be offering the manpower but the headmaster appeared to be the one who was directing the strings, if he read things correctly.

Still, as valuable as the information could be, whatever he had was outdated by nearly two weeks. The whole plan might have changed since his capture. But it could also still be the same - much of it had already been put into place, after all.

And so while he was in his own room, locked away behind the glowing green barrier, he had come up with a series of objectives.

Do not reveal the fact that he had met Cinder and knew what she looked like under any circumstance.

If asked, he could reveal a part of her current plan, specifically to cause a Grimm invasion, and who they had worked with, but nothing more than that. If pressed, he could vaguely conclude down the line that she was searching for something, though it would be best if he could avoid doing so. He didn't know specifically what she was looking for, but the invasion was more of a diversion than an endgame goal. Why else would she want an invasion with monsters that could be eventually be defeated by trained forces? It may take time for them to be defeated, but it was perfect for her task.

He certainly must not reveal Cinder's plans for the CCT tower as well. If she succeeded with the CCT tower, then communications across kingdoms would be shut down, creating an even larger dark zone for her to operate in. Only local emergency communication services would be available, and even those had a capacity limit. More importantly, though, it would give him a better opportunity of escaping.

Finally, and most importantly, it was to have Ozpin realize that whatever information he was feeding him needed to be validated before any particular action could be taken.

"Well," Roman brought his hands behind his head, resting against his black bowler hat, "to begin, I suppose the best place to start would be on what particular subject. I highly doubt that you'd invite me to share without having any questions prepared." His gaze homed in on Ozpin. "What are you looking for?"

"Let's start with what you did," Ozpin looked back at him, unfazed. "Up until your capture, what was your role in the operation?"

Easy question, and one that didn't violate the guidelines. His chest rose with a breath before starting to speak. "I was what you could call a supplier. If our operation needed something, my job was to acquire it. In this case, we needed weapons and the dust to power them - lots of it. I was their hand in the weapons black market, either through purchasing goods or stealing them otherwise."

"And these weapons and dust - who ordered you to obtain them, and what were they going to be used for?"

This one he would have to walk carefully around. "The who is a difficult question." He gave a sigh, imitating frustration. "I don't know who ordered it. The person refused to meet with me, but I know that whoever it was wanted me to send the goods to the White Fang. The terrorist group was my means of contact to the person. From what I have gathered from the White Fang, however, it was a woman who was asking for my services."

Ironwood folded his hands in front of him. "Somehow I get the feeling that I'm not the only one that doesn't believe you."

Roman turned to him, softly cocking his visible eyebrow. "Big criminal heads don't meet in public. We don't meet through fancy communication monitors - at most it's just a voice on the other end of a blocked number. In fact, we sometimes don't even meet at all. We have a confidant that can do that for us if secrecy is needed."

"So you think you're a big shot, Torchwick?"

"Big enough to steal your Paladins."

"So you do not directly know the person at the top," Ozpin cut back in. "But the materials were going to the White Fang. Are you able to confirm that the leader of the organization is still the same man, Adam Taurus? And what was the White Fang to do with the goods?"

It was an obvious question - everyone who followed the news should have known that the White Fang was led by Adam Taurus, a particularly violent person hell bent on creating a world for just Faunus-kind and burning everyone else. He had worked with the man on occasion, but it was something he decided to forego mentioning. "Yes, I can confirm that Adam is still the leader. I didn't interact with him personally, but during times where I was to work more closely with the White Fang there were instances where I saw him. As for the arms, they were meant to be utilized by the organization, though a large amount of them were being carted towards the south east."

"Any of you three got a map?"

Glynda took out a tablet and brought up an overview of the city of Vale before placing it in front of him. Picking it up, he navigated towards the southern borders until a familiar name came up.

"Mountain Glenn," he tapped the spot, dropping a flag in the location. "The lady's orders were to move about seventy percent of the dust and certain armaments to the area." He glanced at the general, "Specifically, your Paladins." Placing the tablet back onto the table, he slid it back to the three. "The rest were to be for the White Fang."

The blonde huntress picked up the tablet, examining the location he had marked. "And do you know what they wanted to do with the dust?" she said.

This was the challenging part. He took a deep breath before blinking and slowly letting it out.

"I do know the plan. However, therein lies the problem with what I have."

The silence in the room spoke volumes about what he just said. Ozpin stared at him before taking a sip from his mug. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean," Roman frowned, "is that I can inform you about what I did and who I worked through or with. The problem, however, lies in what they will do." He brought his hands to his lap, leaning forward.

"It's been nearly two weeks since the police found me in that alley. A lot could have changed in two weeks. Unless we confirm that it's all still the same then it means nothing."

"Hell," he raised his shoulders, shrugging before letting his hands fall to his sides, "she might even already know we're doing all this. She knows that Beacon is a hub of hunters in training - she knows she needs to watch the place for anything out of the ordinary. So if she keeps seeing the same eight students going to the sparring hall at the same time each week, she's going to want to investigate. If we're going to continue this, we're going to need to a do a better job with hiding my presence here."

Roman had the benefit of the doubt in that Cinder was due to arrive with the rest of the students in three weeks. Ozpin didn't, and he thoroughly enjoyed the furrowed brow that he sported. But that still meant they had to act quickly.

"Back to the current issue, though," Roman placed his hands on the table, "I do know that she wants to bring Grimm into Vale. A lot of Grimm."

"What would be gained from such a plan, though?" Ozpin pressed.

"Frankly, I have no clue, and by now I don't care for obvious reasons," he gruffly replied. "However, the enemy's end goal isn't important in this case. It's how we push ours. And we're going to have a lot of difficulty going forward if we're still blind about her current operation."

The table was silent. Glynda continued to study the map, attempting to locate the connection between the two areas. Ozpin looked deep in thought, staring into the swirls of his coffee mug while Ironwood rose to his feet, pacing the room.

"So at the end of the day, we only have an idea of what is planned, not the logistics," the headmaster finally said. He seemed to speak slowly, as if carefully picking the words that left his mouth. "As you said, we need some way to confirm the current plan as well as do a better job at hiding ours."

And now it was time to convince the three that he had the best solution.

"Technically, I do have a way to verify the information."

And then he said nothing, turning his gaze to his hands, flexing them. He could feel their sudden stares boring into him and he knew he had their attention.

"And what would that be, Roman?"

He looked up, matching Ozpin's eyes with his own. "What do you think about a field trip for our two special teams?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though this chapter was originally posed months ago, I still get a kick out Roman saying "I'd like to see you suck a dick" to Ironwood. It just feels very Roman.


	5. The Concept of Infinity

"Absolutely not," Glynda said, rising to her feet. It was like Roman had just thrown boiling hot coffee at her. "After your particular display I find myself very hard-pressed to just allow you to lead a 'field trip' with the students."

Much to her agitation, Roman only laughed. "Please, you don't even know what I'm asking for and you're already up in arms. Sets a great example for students, doesn't it? Shoot first, ask later?"

"That's something I wouldn't mind at this point."

"Glynda, please," Ozpin carefully said, "I know you're upset about the situation. However, Roman does bring up a point. We need to validate the next step, and that requires information."

"Ozpin," Ironwood stopped his pacing and spoke, "even if it's a good idea, how could we enforce what he's doing? For all we know he could be going about our backs and using that opportunity to escape."

"I have my reasons, James," the headmaster spoke again. "While Roman has the motive to escape, I believe that he is more motivated to cooperate at this point."

At least Ozpin was able to pick up on that - he did want to kill Cinder just a bit more than he wanted to escape. It was only a matter of achieving both at the same time, though he doubted that the headmaster didn't have his own suspicions. "That would be correct," he said, his lips going thin. "Don't forget that I was betrayed by people I had trusted. It's only natural for me to return the favor."

"Now then, are you ready to listen to what I have to offer, or are we still going to argue about a good way to validate information?"

The three were silent, and he took it as a signal to begin. "As we currently know, we are aware that whoever is leading this has the White Fang under her control. It is likely that the plans may have changed. However, I have a good reason to believe that my confidant is still around with them. It is only a matter of contacting her and seeing if the plan is still the same."

"How do you know that she's not dead?" Ironwood sat down at the table again, this time leaning back in his chair. "If they betrayed you, how do you know they haven't taken her out as well?"

He sighed, "I don't. But I know that she is a very useful person - I doubt that they would kill her so easily. However, that leads us to a bit of fog that must be cleared up. The first is that we need to see if she is still alive. The second is to see if she is still loyal to me or if she has been won over by the one who ordered my betrayal. Thankfully, I have very good reason to believe that she is both alive and loyal."

"The third bit is to either confirm or deny if the plan has changed. We could be at a point where they are too far close to the start of the operation, and any further delays would create a missed window of opportunity. At the same time, though, they may be able to make changes and create the Grimm invasion in another manner."

"Do you have a name of your confidant, Torchwick? A profile?" Ironwood asked.

"And that leads to why she is useful," he slowly pointed out. "She only goes by Neo and she has no profile."

The general did a doubletake. "No profile?"

"That's correct. At most, she can only be described as a short female in maybe her late teens to early twenties. Any other identifiers don't matter. Eye color, hair color, all of it can change at her whim to create a hundred faces"

"And how would we go about contacting her, Roman?" Ozpin spoke up again.

"That," Roman smiled, "is where the field trip comes in. There's a club over in downtown - Junior's. It's a hub for information and more importantly it's neutral ground for most of the criminal underworld. I can have him confirm if Neo is still alive and loyal. If so, the next step then becomes how to get Neo to safely advise us of what the operation will be - even better if she can become our informant or otherwise put herself on our side."

Neo, of course, would also be the one to help make his escape easier. Her abilities in disguise and mislead were invaluable, and Roman knew that she would be loyal to him. There was also the fact that she could be even more slippery than he was at times.

"So, how does that all sound so far? Pretty sure the kids would appreciate the first-hand experience of seeing an information deal going down."

* * *

In the end, the three of them decided to discuss the information they had so far and develop a better method to hide him while still giving him a teaching environment. To Roman, that was acceptable. He didn't need an answer right now, but he also knew that time was counting against them. With the city of Vale at stake and the lack of information, they would be forced to either take his offer or modify it in some way. Neither was important in the end. Ultimately, he needed Neo to provide information on whether or not Cinder was going to follow the same plan. If she stayed the course, then chances are she would be within the walls of Beacon within three weeks from now, right under Ozpin's nose. Then all he needed to do was get close to separate and kill her when the time was right.

He was pacing the stage of the training hall under the watchful gaze of the Atlas soldiers. It was nearing the time for class to start, but so far the students had yet to arrive.

Again, it was acceptable. The less time he had to teach them, the better. He had to carefully plan his lectures to not just provide information, but to also make sure that he wasn't digging his own grave later.

Rock and a hard place indeed.

Slowly, the two teams came in together. The leaders entered first, giving him a cautious glare before returning to their seats from last week. Weiss was the last to enter, he noticed, and the way she walked seemed rigid, cold. When she took her seat, she appeared to notice that he was watching her and she did her best to glare back. His lips curled into a cheshire smile.

How entertaining.

Breaking his gaze away, he began to pace across the stage again. "Originally, I was going to start by going over some of the more criminal-minded activities. But I think a better starting point would be to fine tune what I had demonstrated last week. I don't know how much homework your other lecturers give you, but I hope you were able to at least try to think about what I had mentioned."

"After all, survival is a very important concept."

As expected, Yang was the first to speak up. "How did you block my punch?" she cautiously demanded. "I've never seen anyone... deal with it like that before."

She didn't even raise her hand, he noted. "You mean how I so casually pushed it away?"

He smiled when she made no response, obviously still seething at how humiliating her defeat was.

Scanning the crowd of students, he spoke aloud to the group. "What is the natural form of the aura? Can anyone tell me?"

Ren was the first one to speak, earning a slow gaze from Roman. It was unusual to see him speak, according to the data. Perhaps this was a subject that the teen was was gifted in? "It surrounds our body when it's at rest. This makes sense because when we are at rest, we are not looking to deflect or block any strikes, and so it envelops us to help cover as many weak points as possible."

"Textbook definition," he turned to face him. "And what happens when we are not at rest, but in combat?"

"It shifts to fit our needs."

"Correct," satisfied, he turned away from him and started to pace again. "As I said before, aura serves many purposes. It is most commonly utilized for offensive enhancement, empowering our strikes and fueling our interactions with dust. But there is also the defensive side of it. It provides basic detection, heals our wounds, and also shields our bodies from most forms of trauma."

"This should all be basic knowledge. I don't think you'd have gotten into this school if you didn't know at least that much."

Jaune blinked.

"The problem I am trying to allude to, however," Roman waved his wooden cane a bit in the air, "is that these are all passive uses of aura. You don't think about these uses. You train your body, and for the most part, the aura subconsciously reacts to what we want to do and helps us achieve it. But if we want to move our aura alone, that is not something most are able to do."

"For many people, training to strengthen their aura is how they solve this problem. If we can't move it directly, we just make what is already there stronger so that when it is needed it can serve its purpose. While it helps with other issues, like attacks or overall stamina, this does not solve our lack of control over it."

"But…" Ruby spoke up, garnering everyone's looks. Her eyebrows furrowed, "We already know how to use our aura. We know how to channel it into our weapons, and we use it for our semblances."

"Well then, Red," he turned to gaze at her, a frown on his lips, "think you can block one of Yang's punches with your own hand? Do you think your aura control is good enough for that?"

The young girl fell silent, casting a gaze at her sister before sheepishly sitting down.

"Hmph," disdain came to his eyes as he stared down at her. "I thought so. Have you ever even tried to block the hit?" He found his voice dropping several degrees. "Or are you too busy being babied?"

She defiantly stuck her head out. "We stopped you multiple times. We can do it again."

"As a team, yes," Roman admitted. "But as an individual? I think you'd be a little hard-pressed there. Still, we're digressing," he once again continued to wear his shoes across the stage. "Like I said, if you're not going to use your aura right, you may as well not have it. It's like money. Horde it all you want, you will never get to actualize its value until you use it. A rich man is still a pauper if he doesn't buy anything."

"Now to achieve the basic level of aura manipulation, most of you probably have some sort of focus. It's a little piece of imagery that you personally find effective to channel aura with. And while it doesn't actually move the aura itself, it prepares a portion of it to be moved subconsciously by your own body movements."

"What I am trying to tell you is that full aura manipulation is the concept of directing as much aura as possible in one moment. Eventually, you will want to be able to move it without the need to move your body, and even move it independently of your body - your aura is projected in one direction while you go in another one."

"But… why is such precise control over aura so important?" Jaune spoke up. "I mean, I can imagine its uses, but that level of control… it seems excessive."

Roman's shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh. He should have known that this question was going to come sooner or later. Did they not understand what he was trying to convey?

He twisted to the students, casting his arms to his sides. "Any of you dumb kids know math?"

None stirred at first. Of course they knew math, but none seemed confident enough to speak up.

Much to his surprised excitement, however, Weiss finally extended her hand. She had said nothing at all this class, remaining perfectly still until he challenged them. He felt himself chuckle before placing his cane at his feet and leaning over it.

"Alright, then, Miss Weiss," he enjoyed the way the title made her nose wrinkle. "Tell me what you know about an asymptote."

Slowly lowering her hand, he watched as she gulped and started to speak, very aware that his left eye was tracing her every movement. "It's the concept that as the variable _x_ becomes infinitely large, the curve of a function will never become tangential to a particular line or another curve. In its most basic form, the _y_ value may become infinitesimally small, but will never equal zero."

He resumed his walking, taking his eyes off of her. "Care to show me an example and its basic function?"

Without hesitating, she opened up her scroll and began to work away at it, eventually uploading a graph with a curve that looked like a bow. And as she had described it, the curve touched neither the vertical axis or the horizontal one, despite getting closer and closer. At the bottom of the graph was a function.

_y=(1/x)_

Closing her scroll, she looked back up at the "Satisfied?"

He smiled again, "No."

Her face flipped from one of slight arrogance to shock. "What?" She opened her scroll again, trying to examine what she had done wrong. Finally she looked up, glaring daggers at him. "I don't see what's wrong with my graph."

"I am not satisfied because you are only half correct, Miss Weiss. Glad to see all that money spent on your education has paid off." He took out his own scroll, "Rest assured, however, that this is indeed an asymptote. As _x_ increases in value, _y_ decreases in value. However, as zero cannot be in the denominator, neither _x_ nor _y_ can be equal to zero."

"Now then, allow me to make some modifications to your example."

Quickly swiping his fingers and tapping his screen, he erased the function and inserted another one.

_y=(1/x)(100)_

Tapping the screen, the graph redrew itself, shifting to the proper location.

"Suppose we set _x_ to be equal to 100, with _x_ representing the coverage of our aura around our bodies." He plugged the number into the function and watched as a red dot placed itself on the graph. "This means that if we set y as a unit of force, we can absorb up to that much force with our aura at any strike. If the incoming force goes above that value, then our bodies will take damage as well as cause us to use more aura than usual in the healing process. In this case, _y_ 's threshold is equal to one."

Looking back to the students, he watched their faces as he replaced the number. "Now to go over what Miss Weiss failed to realize - what if our aura only covered fifty percent of our bodies?"

A red dot placed itself on the graph - _y_ was now equal to two.

"What if it only covered a quarter?"

The value had now become four.

"What if it only covered my hand?"

Yang's right hand formed a fist.

"What if I focused it all on one finger, or onto any small object I'm holding onto?"

The heiress was gripping her seat. Whether she was shocked or annoyed by the revelation, he could not tell, but it pleased him nonetheless. "With that in mind, Miss Weiss," she straightened in her chair, "what happens when _x_ approaches zero?" He set x to be equal to a hundredth of a percent. "And please, don't forget your units."

Her face had become placid, as if accepting what he had come to point out.

"... The force it can block becomes infinitely large."

"But… we can't consciously control our aura that well." It was Ren who spoke up, making his confusion clear. "In combat we can only redirect a portion of it, never the whole thing. And even then, it often requires us to move our body."

"That is also correct." Roman resumed his slow walk on the stage, his cane lazily twirling at his side. "Aura will always surround your body entirely. No matter how you direct it, there's always going to be some remaining from where you pulled it from. So while we can not achieve infinite force, and not to mention that the whole physics behind it is far more complicated than just that, we can theoretically direct enough to achieve a similar outcome. Depending on how we apply it through body movement or individually shaping it, we can either stop a force entirely, or we can divert enough of it to go by unharmed."

"Grimm, though they can be smart, are just animals. If you know enough about it, you can predict its movements and how it will attack. You will know what to avoid and how to strike back, so defense naturally takes a backseat at times. Humans, on the other hand, will plan, craft, and otherwise find ways to circumvent standard methods. When fighting criminals that operate on a different mindset, you will eventually need to know how to use every resource you have at your disposal."

"You won't last long enough otherwise."

Ruby quickly raised her hand. Then lowered it. Then raised it again. Then started to lower it again before deciding that despite his origin he was an instructor and kept her hand raised. Roman sighed.

"Yes Red?"

"I don't doubt what you're saying. But… what does that look like? I know we can feel our aura moving in our body, but how do we know that we're doing it?" Her face was one of caution, but she was clearly curious.

He supposed he would offer her a picture of it. She had asked a perfectly valid question, after all.

"Take out your scroll, Red." As she drew it out, he squared his shoulders at her and held placed the cane to his side. "What does it say about my aura level right now?"

Pointing her scroll at Roman, she let the machine calibrate run its algorithms until his aura level was uploaded to the screen behind him, replacing the graph. "It's at one hundred percent."

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He imagined a thin barrier of soft orange light that began to expand into a ovular wall, the same tone that matched the flame from a good cigar. Exhaling, he let it scan over the students in the audience from left to right, eventually reaching the far end of the wall.

He could feel its gentle attempts to draw back to him, a sensation that he had long grown numb to and was accustomed to staving away. But the student's auras would most likely stick more aggressively to them, refusing to budge more than an inch or two during their early attempts.

"And what does it say now?" he said, opening his eyes. He heard the smile in his voice.

"It…" Ruby's mouth was upturned just a little bit, eyes narrowed. "It keeps dropping right down to almost zero and then erroring out above the maximum."

He let go of the orange wall, and the numbers behind him refocused at the correct level - one hundred percent. "Now I'll be fair and say that this is not standard first-year curriculum for hunters in training, nor do most expect you to be able to move this much of your own aura around you. But the more aura you can manipulate, the better off you'll be in a mess."

Before he could continue, however, Yang spoke up. Her teeth were just barely clenched and he watched as her right fist balled tightly.

"If you could do all this, why didn't you use it?" She angrily asked. "We've given you a beating a good couple times, so why act all high and mighty now?"

He had a feeling this question would come up sooner or later. Turning towards team RWBY, he watched as the others looked back intently and just as curious.

Roman only smiled and held up two fingers. "Two reasons, one which will be a different lesson all on its own. For now, though, take solace that I only just started to bruise your ego because this is a controlled environment. I would certainly not take such a risk on an open field without heavily weighing the options."

For a moment he watched her eyes briefly flicker red. Looks like the notes about emotions triggering her semblance were right.

"I hope you all enjoyed the demonstration, because it's time for the lecture to end."

"What?" Ruby spoke out again. "But we just-"

"Listen, Red. Listen," he tsked. "The lecture is over - the class is not." He picked up the cane and leaned it against his shoulder. "It's time for a little class activity," his eyes swept across the room. "I want all of you to find a corner with your partner and start practicing aura manipulation. And you better get good, because your homework before next week is to be able to catch one of Yang's punches with your hand and your aura. Extra credit if she has her semblance going."

"Oh, and heads up," he felt a quick grin grow on his lips. "Your hand not only has some of the most nerves on your body, but also the most amount of bones while also being the hardest place to focus your aura around. So when you screw up, it's going to hurt. Have fun."

He glanced at Yang. "And as for your part of the assignment, Blondie, I suppose you could just punch yourself in the face after it's all done and call it a day."

The girl said nothing, merely dragging Blake away.

* * *

 

 

**Omake: The Worst Kind of Fist Bump**

Yang took even longer on her homework than usual. It's not that she was a bad student. In fact, she felt that she did relatively well.

It's just that she recently come to the conclusion that if she took her time on everything, she reasoned that she could do better!

Score higher!

Make sure that all her 'i's were dotted and 't's were crossed!

Why, she was even so studious as to also complete next week's assignments as well!

"Yang."

"Not now, Blake, I'm studying for finals."

"The new semester started three weeks ago, Yang. We don't have finals for another three months."

She had been sitting in front of her desk for so long that she never realized how nice the chair felt. How comfortable it was. How-

"Yang," Blake finally said, grabbing her partner's chair and pulling her from the desk. "I know you don't like the assignment from Torchwick, but he's got a valid point."

"But I don't wanna do iiiiit!" she whined. She didn't want to punch her friends, not under this context! Didn't want to punch Ruby!

"You're the hardest hitter we have. Nora comes pretty close, but even she thinks you hit harder."

She let her head hang over the back of her chair, "Can't we just lie and say we did it?"

The Faunus girl looked her in the eye. "No."

Finally, Yang gave a frustrated sigh. "Fiiiine." She slowly stood up. "I wish you would just run away from this whole moment like you say you keep doing."

Her partner's voice rose dangerously, " _Yang_."

"Okay, I get it, I get it!"

* * *

The two teams decided that despite just being homework, it was probably better to do this away from the eyes of anyone else. So they picked the rooftop that Jaune and Pyrrha had practiced at. The late afternoon sun was still high, but a nice breeze kept the area cool.

"So!" Yang tried to be chipper, though it was easy for most of them to realize she was not too happy with the situation. "Who thinks they're good enough to manipulate their aura to block me with their hand?"

"Well, Pyrrha's has combat experience," Nora piped up. "I mean, it's not real field experience but she's been in tournaments."

"I'll go first." Blake stepped up, extending her right arm and opening her hand to absorb the blow. "It can't be that hard in the end. I mean, if Torchwick can do it, why can't we?"

Yang reared her arm back, turning her body sideways a little. "Alright, let me know when you're ready."

Her partner shut her eyes for a moment and reopened them. "... Okay, ready."

_Bang._

There was a sound that was like a cross between a high-pitched meow and a scream for bloody murder. Blake had curled up on the floor, and the ribbons of her bow were straining to flatten themselves against the top of her head.

"Holy-! Ngh, fu-"

Yang was taken aback. "BlakeI'msosorry-"

"I'll- I'll be fine," she meowed, rolling from side to side, "just- just gimme a minute. Y-Your turn, Pyrrha."

The athlete gave Yang a nervous chuckle. "I… guess it's my turn, isn't it." She straightened herself before stretching her arm out. Deep breath in, deep breath out. "Ready… I guess."

The blonde gave her an uncomfortable smile. "S-Sorry if it hurts."

_Bang._

Pyrrha took the blow a little better, but not by much. Her eyes grew wide and she squatted down, trying to shake her hand to make the pain go away, hissing.

"Are… Are you okay?"

She rose to her feet. "Not really," she stuttered, giving up on shaking her hand and instead clutching it to her chest. "I'll live, but.. ugh. I don't think this is the right way to start this type of training."

Yang looked towards the next of them, an unfortunate feeling of dread when she saw Ruby standing at the front of the group. She looked over her sister's shoulder. "So uh… who's next?"

Nora tried to hide unsuccessfully behind Ren. "She's scary, Ren. Make her go away."

"Nora, this will make us better huntsmen and huntresses and ultimately fulfill the task that the headmaster assigned us. We do what we must." The youth bravely stepped forward, extending his hand to Yang. "I will admit though, that after seeing the others, I'm very worried for my wellbeing."

"So… ready then?"

Inhale. Exhale. "... Go."

"Sorry Ren." There was no point in the 'if' now. It was going to hurt.

_Bang._

By some miracle, the teen remained standing and seemingly fine, but the rise from his chest and his mantra indicated otherwise, beads of sweat dotting the forehead above his scrunched eyes. "Deep breaths, deep breaths... deeeeep breaths… yourturnNora."

The usually spritely girl turned demure and timid. "C-Can I hold your hand, Ren? I'm scared."

He gave no response, merely continuing his deep breathing. When she took his hand anyway, though, he made no moves to push her away. Nora looked back at Yang before taking a deep breath and clenching her eyes shut, turning away as she thrust her palm forward.

"Just get it over with already, please. Please. Please just do it, I don't think I can-"

_Bang._

"REEEEEEEEEEEEN!"

The poor girl immediately began to bawl and collapsed to her knees, her other hand's knuckles becoming white in a death grip.

"Sorry Nora."

"Deep... breaths..."

"Sorry Ren."

Looking to her right, there were only three left, Jaune, Weiss, and Ruby. None of them looked willing to step forward, so Yang turned to the blonde.

"Sorry Jaune."

He let out a frustrated growl, hanging his head. "This is not fair. This is not fair at all."

"Jaune," Yang sighed, "you act like this is something I want to do."

"I'll believe you later, but for now I'll believe what I want." He thrust out his hand and after a huff, nodded to show that he was ready.

She figured he wasn't really ready, but she just wanted to get this damn thing over with.

_Bang._

"Gah!" he stumbled a few steps back before falling over. "Try to be manly, try to be manly." He ended up giving off a loud yell, "Okay, nope, not working. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope…"

Yang looked at Weiss.

"This is what I hate about siblings sometimes," she muttered. "Of course you don't want to punch Ruby."

The heiress gulped and stuck out her hand.

"Sorry Weissicle."

"What? Hey, just because-"

_Bang._

The girl fell to her knees, giving a sharp but short cry. "I… I hate you so much right now," Weiss said through gritted teeth. And though none fell yet, Yang was pretty sure she could see the glistening tears in the corners of her eyes.

Finally, only Ruby was left. And much to the elder's distaste, she stepped up on her own, her hand ready to try and catch hers.

"Ruby, you don't have to-"

"No!" the young girl said more firmly than she intended, shaking in her boots. "I mean… I-It's okay, Yang. I'll be strong. Really. I will. Besides, we're in this class together."

"Ruby-"

"I won't scream! I might cry or roll around but I won't scream! Or... I'll try not to. Just… maybe give me your dessert later. Or maybe I get to punch you, or you can let me ride around on your bike or something."

"... Wanna have all three?"

"... Okay." Ruby took a deep breath. "Do it."

_Bang._

To Ruby's credit, she didn't scream, but all of the color drained from her face and she had gone entirely rigid.

Yang could only let out a sigh she didn't even know she was holding.

"I hate this new class."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usually the omakes take place after my A/Ns on fanfiction.net, but in here I'll just kinda combine them to make it easier on everyone. Most of it is for humor, but...


	6. Into the Abyss

 

It had been a week since the second class. While Roman had not heard back regarding his request for a field trip, he was beginning to see additional security being put up. As more and more students and tourists arrived for the Vytal Festival and the upcoming tournament, so did the amount of Atlas troops patrolling the school rise to meet the demand.

A part of him wondered if it was to help keep him in or keep Cinder out. Still, none of that would matter if her plan had changed. But he highly doubted it would - she had planned to strike when Vale was most populated and had the most media coverage. Delaying or changing her plan now meant that she had to move the dust and weaponry across a wide distance to the next biggest event, as well as delay her search.

Frankly, it was something that she couldn't afford. Moving around Paladins and huge amounts of dust required coordination and security. The first part could be easily handled with enough preparation, but ensuring that nobody spotted them was another.

But Ozpin didn't know that. Roman made sure of it.

Of the three that were facilitating the operation, the two accomplices didn't seem particularly threatening. Glynda and Ironwood appeared to only to be in charge of running security around him. Ozpin, however, so far seemed almost too easy to convince, and he had a nagging feeling that he knew Roman was careful with what he shared. He doubted that the man would continue his facade as time went on, but for now it was fine. He only needed Ozpin to continue trusting him for a bit longer - his trust was ultimately not needed in the end.

He had also started following the news when he was able. So far, none of the media outlets seemed to know anything more about him, with all newscasts moving onto other scoops and stories. Naturally they wouldn't have access to that information, and he was very sure that the local police wouldn't allow it either. Still, his thoughts drifted to whether Cinder was taking note of the lack of information regarding him or if she was too focused on the next step of the plan.

As much as he hated to say it, he was very concerned of what would happen if Cinder really did change her plan. That meant that he may be forced to reveal everything he really knew instead of feeding them select pieces of information. Then he would really have to try and predict what Cinder was going to do. An ugly prisoner's dilemma situation, but worse.

A knock at his door shook him from his thoughts.

"Lunchtime, Torchwick."

It was a process that he had grown used to. Atlas soldiers would bring his meals, and open the door to his room. However, unless he was waiting at the far end of the wall and unarmed, they would not lower the barrier. Once he was in place, they would put the tray on the ground, train their guns on him, and lower the field. Using a baton, the tray would be carefully pushed past the deployment field, and then it would be reset, once again locking him in.

Rising from his bed, he moved in front of the opaque field and leaned against the wall. For an impromptu jail cell, it was a decent plan. Though the bullets wouldn't be too much of a threat on their own, it reduced the amount of risk in the procedure. Roman wasn't surprised if this was a standard practice for similar situations.

It did carry a flaw though. It still required one soldier to be at an increased risk compared to the others. It was possible for him to turn it into a hostage situation. But with what Glynda shared with him regarding the other walls being reinforced with their own barrier, he wouldn't know if one of them was lowered for another team to take him out from the adjacent room. He also wasn't aware of how the barrier reactivated. Was it at just a touch of a button? Was it immediate, or was there a small window of opportunity for him to act? And what happened if he was caught right in the projection area?

He might have to create an opportunity to observe the barrier. But that would wait for another day.

Besides, if he could get Neo back on his side, this part of the escape plan would become trivial. It would only become a matter of escaping when the time was right.

* * *

As Roman expected, the next lecture was held somewhere else - specifically in a standard lecture hall. Mounted on the wall beneath the board were depictions of Grimm, from Beowolves to Nevermores. On top of that was a projection screen, and right below it was what looked to be a cross between an axe and a wide-muzzled musket.

It looked like Professor Port was still around.

Much to his disappointment, though it was fully needed, he found himself missing his white coat and bowler hat. Instead he resigned himself to more casual clothes compared to what he would have liked - a untucked dark green button up on top of light brown slacks. He kept his dress shoes, but was forced to leave the cane behind. Finally, his long bangs that usually covered his right eye were brushed to part at the side of his head.

It wasn't a bad disguise. For the most part, the average student would think that he was just a young staff member or a new professor. But any of Cinder's more direct group would be able to spot him easily. And while they tried to remain discreet about the security around him when he was out in the open, any trained eye would be able to spot that the guards were moving in sync with him. For now, though, it would have to do.

The way the students would arrive at his class was be different as well. Instead of coming en masse, instead the partners went out together at different times, making sure to take separate paths and arriving at the building at different times. While still not perfect, it was harder to track and pinpoint a connection between their movements.

The first to arrive were Ren and Nora. After their second class together, the girl, normally a rambunctious mess of energy, seemed to have become a little more subdued. The boy next to her, on the other hand, seemed as focused as usual, though perhaps a little guarded at what to expect.

The lovebirds. Maybe. The data in the scroll certainly depicted them as good friends, though it said nothing else beyond that. Getting the two to get together would ultimately a boon towards his plan, though it wasn't absolutely necessary. However, if it meant that he could control Ren in some way, it was worth the effort.

But Roman was not a matchmaker. He would handle the issue in his own way.

One pair at a time, the remaining students entered the room as he paid little to no attention to the sharp stares he received, seating himself at the edge of the professor's desk. He noticed, however, that once again the last one to arrive was Weiss, even entering after her partner did. Perhaps there was some sort of reluctance for her to be here, though she betrayed none as she strode to the front row and took a seat. On both nights of the class, she had been the first to turn her heel and walk out through the exit.

He could understand the reluctance, however. Criminal activity was not new for Schnees. Their product was so valuable that even small-time thugs would risk stealing them to sell on the underground markets. But usually what was lost was a business expense that was already calculated for - individual distributors took on the risk most of the time, and the only real loss to the company was when a shipment was stolen in transit. And with the Schnee Dust Company owning the largest share of the particular business, they could afford it.

So why did Weiss seem unusually upset, and why was she so silent at the same time? If someone was upset, there should be no reason why they would also be quiet over the topic. He would expect her to be more confrontational, if the last lesson was anything to go over, but she instead seemed to have clammed up over the issue.

He found himself staring at her guarded blue eyes again, and took a deep breath as he shoved himself off the table.

"So how was the assignment? Did anyone succeed?"

Discontent glares made their way to him, and he smiled.

"Better keep practicing then." Taking his scroll out, he set it into a port that was built into the desk, letting it begin to upload images. "Regardless of whether you're prepared or not, I suppose it's time we start to get ready for the real thing."

As the pictures began to load and be projected onto the screen above the board, it became clear that they were all images of single persons. They were smiling, laughing, otherwise being carefree and normal people. Some of them seemed dated compared to the others, but they still showed the same situations.

"Before you is a series of pictures. It has a wide range of people - age, race, gender, sexuality, all different. However, there is one thing in common between all of these pictures. Anyone care to take a guess?"

The room was silent, reluctant to speak up considering his previous displays regarding his questions. Taking this as a sign that they ultimately did not know the answer, he gave his scroll a tap, and immediately a new set of images appeared. Where people were once laughing and smiling, instead they were holding signs in their hands stating what was presumably their names. And where they once smiled, instead their faces were solemn and seemed to be devoid of emotion.

"The answer is that they are all convicted criminals, specifically on more than one charge." He guided their attention towards several of the images. "This one here was arrested and convicted of several instances of first degree murder, ultimately being classified as a serial killer. This lady here was charged with assisting a body of organized crime, among other violations." He looked back towards the students, whose gazes were still on the mugshots. "Let it be very known that anyone is capable of crime. While there are arguments that some are more prone to committing them or how they are profiled as being criminally aligned, this is not what this class is meant to be for."

"You will not be playing detective to solve a murder. I am under the impression that Ozpin wants you to be the ones that go after those that already have a heavy case against them. Those who are at the top and are ultimately dangerous individuals. This means that you will most likely already have data regarding your target. Though research will more often than not be fruitful, it may not be necessary for a particular case."

"So since the face and body structure of a criminal varies, most would assume that they would naturally have little to no connection between each other. After all, each of these criminals were charged with a variety of crimes. Not all of them have overlaps in charges. This, however, could not be any more wrong."

He moved to stand at the front of the class again. "The one thing that they have in common with each other is that they all moved and went about their daily lives with the intent of not getting caught. They were all thinking like criminals."

"Any questions so far?"

Letting his gaze travel between the students, he felt himself looking towards RWBY. He knew that the team had to have known by now that Blake was a Faunus. Ruby was present at the pier where she unveiled her ears, and they knew she was once part of the White Fang. The question then became whether JNPR knew about it or not. However, with how close the two teams were, he wouldn't be surprised if the two teams knew about her secret.

He tried not to look at the frowning Weiss, in spite of his growing curiosity towards her disposition regarding the class. When silence greeted him again, he continued his lesson.

"To assess the criminal mind is something that requires more than just a semester long class. After all, if society is all about upstanding moral values and we're all born with a clean slate, then there should be no reason why some of us turn to illegal activities. The fact that criminals exist would indicate a deeper issue is at hand, though like I said this is not a course for finding what that deeper issue is."

"Instead, we are to examine what is visible to us - the crime scene itself. Sometimes it's a body, and other times it's a robbed store. Yet by examining what is and isn't there, we begin to piece together bit by bit not just what happened, but we can begin to examine why it happened. Sometimes, that 'why' is very convoluted. But behind each 'why' is one common thing - desire. After all, you wouldn't do something if you did not desire its associated outcome."

He walked back to his scroll and tapped the screen, causing the photos to move into groups. Above each group was a word along with a description.

_Need_

_The perception that the particular activity is necessary for continued existence. The choice of inaction in this regard is seen as the equivalent of or leading to death. This results most commonly in stealing money, food, or controlled substances. In other cases, it can be seen as doing certain activities for something that helps guarantee their life, such as the protection that is associated with organized crime._

_Want_

_The single-minded pursuit of a particular goal. This goal is not necessary for life, but often carries benefits associated with it. It is often difficult to distill from the other categories except in the most extreme of cases. However, it is a clearly observable facet in criminal decision making and often leads to the other two._

_Power_

_A criminal wants power as it is a concept of control. They are able to influence objects, individuals, or groups in some way either through their own personal abilities or to have someone do it for them by using money, coercion, or a combination of the two. Absolute control theoretically means that there is no one that can stand against them and is a semblance of security for some._

"Of the things that a criminal may desire," Roman continued, "they are most often broken up into these three fields. Many other instances, though they may require disambiguation, tend to fall under them. Even spontaneous acts, crimes of 'passion' so to speak, stem from these categories."

Roman looked at Ruby, watching her flinch at his gaze. "A starving man needs to eat, and so he steals to keep on living, hoping that he doesn't have to try to steal food again. But until he can make changes to his lifestyle, whatever that may be, he will fall into that trap again and again."

Pyrrha was the next one to enter his vision, and her green eyes locked with his. "A man desiring a promotion wants the change and the added benefits it brings. And if that similar want expands into illegal areas, then it is one and the same. He doesn't need the rise in status to live, but he wants it for the things associated with it. And if he grows weary of his position afterward, he sets his eyes on the next prize."

Nora was last, and he saw her stiffen. Her right arm moving to the side towards Ren, maybe grasping his hand. "A schoolyard bully enjoys the power he lords over those unfortunate enough to be the target of his amusement. He enjoys the futile struggle they put up as he strips them of their dignity, whether that's taking their money or leaving them in bruises."

Weiss was still frowning, perhaps even more so than before.

"More often than not, though, these desires are not so clear cut. But beneath everything else, it is there as the driving factor, the motive, behind criminal acts. Once you can understand that desire, all things start to fall into place, and depending on who the criminal is, it becomes easier to locate what their next move will be."

"What about for fun?"

It was Jaune that had asked that question. The blonde had been mostly silent throughout the previous lectures, perhaps never having the courage to speak up or because everyone else asked the questions that he wanted. The rest of the class had turned their head towards him and he found himself sputtering.

"I-I mean, we keep hearing that in movies and on the news sometimes…" he scratched his head. "A killer who kills for the mere enjoyment of… well, killing. Is any of that true?"

Roman's eyes looked up and down at Jaune as he set his desk against the table behind him. The boy tucked his arms against his stomach, seemingly shrinking in his gaze, as if speaking out was a wrong decision. He blinked once, twice, the silence eating away at him.

He did enjoy that effect he had on people.

Finally he spoke, a small smile on his lips. "You are correct to state that some criminals act under the pretense of enjoyment. But inside that pretense, there must be some particular moment that they enjoy. Is it the thrill of a successful heist as they make their getaway? Is it the enjoyment that comes from the luxuries of their obtained status or acquired goods?"

"Or is it the power high that comes with knowing that the victim is at their complete mercy, watching as their life drains away? To know that in a few short seconds, all thoughts and signs of life will cease?"

He turned away from Jaune and towards the rest of the class. His smile had gone away, replaced with his more somber face that had naturally formed during his lecture. "A killer does not kill for fun. Something about the kill, something about its process _makes_ it fun."

He had been around in the underworld long enough to know that such people did exist in varying degrees.

"Ultimately, though, there is an underlying desire. There is something that they cannot legally have on their own, whether through their own inability or by circumstance, and they seek to claim it. Those in need desire to fill their stomachs and meet creature comforts. Those who want desire particular objects or more often vast quantities of cash. Those looking to seek power desire control."

"Because of this desire, they can be tracked by _what_ they desire and how they do their deed - their own calling card. Modus operandi, something that can vary in either who or what the target is, how the deed is done, or what is done after the deed. And once you start to try and envision what they truly desire, oftentimes at first as an educated guess before narrowing them down, you get a clearer scope at who your target really is."

"And once you have that clear scope, you begin to think at their level and can either better capture the criminal or stop the next crime from happening."

Going back to his scroll, he tapped and swiped away at the screen. "Now that we've got the explanations out of the way, it's time for an example." Bringing up a picture of a male mugshot, he returned to the front of the stage and began to expand upon what he was convicted of and ultimately how he was caught.

And every time he glanced over at Weiss, the girl seemed to be heavily fixated on staring back, undaunted. It was like she was preparing herself to do something, never relaxing until the moment was done and through. As he continued to speak, eventually winding the class down to a close, however, the girl made no moves to do anything.

In fact, she remained entirely still until Ruby stood up when the lesson ended, beckoning her partner to come. With nothing in front of her, Weiss could only blink, breathe, and look up at Ruby, carefully trying to ignore the rest of the stares from the rest of the students.

"I'll meet you back at our dorm. I want to speak with our... instructor first."

Ruby shot a quick look at Roman before turning back to Weiss, looking her in the eye. Her partner closed her own and sighed.

"I'll be fine."

"Weiss-"

"Ruby, please. I'll be just fine."

The younger girl crossed her arms.

"Trust me, dolt."

All throughout the interaction, Roman did not look away from Weiss. The two seemed to share a brief gaze before Ruby huffed, turning on her heel and leaving. Her partner's eyes lingered on her retreating form for a brief moment before turning her blue eyes back onto him right as the door shut.

He would need to wonder about that interaction some more later. "And to what do I owe this pleasure, Miss Weiss?" He moved to the front and stood to his full height and crossed his arms, peering down his nose just a little bit towards her.

"Don't call me that," she said as she rose from her seat. The Atlas guards in the room seemed more on edge than usual. Brief whines permeated the air as they primed their weapons, ready to shoot if an altercation arose.

He grinned in response. "I'll call you whatever I wish. What can I help you with?"

Her lips briefly turned into a frown. "You're hiding something."

Roman knew he couldn't answer that directly. He doubted she would take a no for an answer, and to say anything else would be a cause for concern among the ones in control. Instead, he answered her thinly veiled question in his favorite and most tactful way possible - with many questions of his own.

"What do you mean by that?" Walking back to the desk, he plucked his scroll from the dock and put it in his pocket, letting the action mask his face from the others for now.

"We're three classes in, and all we seem to be doing is going over rudimentary, empirical facts. You're not even drawing from published literature or documents about criminology."

So it was his teaching methods that had led her to this conclusion. But what parts? He decided to continue picking at her complaint, though he wondered what was left to understand - it was clear that she was suspicious of him.

"Miss Weiss," Roman slowly said, turning to face her with a small smile, "you're contradicting yourself."

Her head leaned forward, eyes widening a little at the accusation before sharpening into him. "Excuse me?"

"You claim that I am going over facts that you feel are rudimentary and empirical. By definition, that would imply that those are immediately observable and no research is needed." He raised one hand to gently pinch his chin with his thumb and index finger. "Doesn't that go against the need for me to validate my lectures with documentation?"

"What I'm saying is that I would like to see classes with more substantial use. Everything you've shared so far hardly goes beyond common sense." Her eyes coldly stared. "It's like you're trying to buy time."

And there it was. She had come out with her own agenda, clearly laying what she wanted at his feet. With her real concern in the open, Roman could finally address it properly. "The basics are the foundation of everything in any topic. What I have shared with you these past few lectures are just that. You will come to find that everything in this path will stem from it. By knowing and understanding your targets, not only can you predict what they want to do, but it can even give you an upper hand in direct confrontations."

"And the safest way is to understand why a criminal does what they do. If you know the why, you know what triggers them to want to do more. The motive, the desire, is the driving force. In fact," he leaned his hip against the edge of the desk, "even now you have a motive, don't you?"

Weiss recoiled from him. "What?"

"You don't like my classes, and you're certainly don't trust me. So why would you stay behind if not to pressure me into giving more 'useful' information? You desire practicality, don't you? Looking to protect your future company's investments?"

She crossed her arms. "You're asking a lot of questions, Torchwick."

"Always have, always will. There's no better way to get an answer after all. 'Ask a question, get an answer.' It's a simple concept," his lips formed a grin, "wouldn't you agree?"

Her lips pursed under his gaze, arms crossed. She looked eager to fill the silence between them, but her better judgment seemed to be winning out.

He cocked his head to the side. "You seem shocked at this revelation. Isn't that something they teach salesmen? As the future head of the Schnee Dust Company, I'm surprised you aren't incorporating that as much as you could be. After all, when you learn of the customer's aches and pains, that opens the door to showing how your product solves their problems."

"I understand how to run a business, _thank you very much_ ," she nearly spat, words laced with venom. "And I'm appalled that you would consider such an analogy."

At least the data was right about her socioeconomic status as being a touchy subject. Still, he needed to get his point across.

"Humor me, Miss Weiss. Do you know what an abyss is?"

She squared her shoulders and leaned back, placing her hands on her hips. "What does that have to do with anything?"

His smile continued to stay on his face, never leaving his lips. His crossed his arms over his chest. "In a minute, everything. For now, though, the question please."

Her arms rose and fell with the breath in her chest before she spoke. "It's an ugly hole."

"You're putting your father's money to shame." Roman shook his head. His lips curved downward momentarily. "That has to be the most rudimentary definition I've ever heard. But ignoring that fact, it leads to my next question. Do you know what makes that word particularly famous?"

Weiss had no answer, and he watched as she painfully tried to dig for the solution. When it was clear that she was not producing the answer, he continued.

"'He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.' It's more commonly localized with only the latter half as 'When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back.'" He turns and stares at Weiss. "Does that sound familiar to you?"

"It's Nietzche."

Rising from the desk, he began to slowly pace in front of her, being careful to make no sudden movements to draw the ire of the guards. "It is common knowledge that this phrase refers to how we become what we fight and hate, and the longer we keep at it the more likely we are to become it."

"But why is it important? Why are you telling me this?"

"Well, Miss Weiss," Roman ducked his head forward a little, and he smiled again. "There is much more to an abyss than just philosophy and prattling dead men."

"You see, the abyss is the concept of an impetuous void. It represents a lack of something, and the common interpretation is how we must be careful that we ourselves do not become consumed by it. But if that space is so dark that you can't see anything, is there really nothing? Do you hope that there is something in the darkness to anchor yourself to? That there is a light at the end of a tunnel? Or do you simply pray that nothing will come out to get you?"

"And yet some world beliefs claim that everything came from such a void, that Remnant was made from nothing. When we examine these contexts, it becomes the concept of both zero and infinity, capable of holding everything both worthwhile and worthless. Only when there is darkness can we recognize that there is also light. We can only recognize that we have nothing if we can see what it means to have something."

"And so when a man has nothing, as empty and hungry as the void itself, and he looks around and sees everyone else with something, so to does he eventually desire to fill his own abyss." He stopped his pacing and rose to his full height, arms at his sides, hands clenched into fists. His smile had disappeared.

He turned to look her in the eyes, ice blue against his green. "You, Miss Weiss, _especially you_ , who have never found yourself in want of material goods necessary for survival, need to understand that desire. The drive to have or to do something in order to feel fulfillment, justified or otherwise. Nothing in this world is done without a purpose. When you know what they desire, it becomes easier to predict the next step."

Weiss remained silent, her mind churning under his gaze. Finally, her lips parted. "When you… When you killed and stole, when you looted those dust shops, what did you desire then?"

It was a desire to possess - to claim as his own, to see and to take. He needed the money to live. He wanted the money for luxuries. He wanted the power that money could buy.

He felt a wide smile grow across his face, letting the past emotions of fulfillment wash over him.

"Everything."

The girl could only stare at him, obviously displeased but contemplative over his vague answer. With a sharp turn she made her way towards the exit, the tapping from her shoes becoming just a little fainter. "Take him away."

The guards moved towards him and he spoke one last time.

"You know, Miss Weiss," he called out to her, "you and I aren't so different. And I wonder. If you desired something so strongly that it consumed your very being... would you be like me?"

"Would you kill for your desire?"

She paused right at the door, hand gripping the handle and ready to push. But that last statement seemed to nearly drive her over the edge. She turned, subtle contempt lacing the words that came from her mouth. "You and I are hardly the same, Torchwick." With a mighty shove belied by her frame, the door slammed open and she stomped out.

"We'll see about that, Miss Weiss."


	7. The Inner Workings

" _Everything."_

Weiss had easily disregarded his final comment as insane. But even after two days, the way that one word rolled off Roman's tongue made her sick. Maybe it was in the smile that pervaded his lips as he said it. It was a twisted drop of truth that made her believe that maybe, just maybe, he really meant what he said in that lecture hall.

Or, even worse, that he knew it.

She found herself counting the ribs of Ruby's bed frame again as it gently rocked back and forth, ticking the night away like a dangerous metronome. There were still seventeen of them, and she sighed for the umpteenth time.

The classes so far had been unproductive. Aside from basic knowledge and aura manipulation that even he admitted they would be taught later down the line, Weiss had yet to truly walk away feeling like she had learned something useful. It was, as she accused, wasting time. But after hearing Roman's response to her last question, she thought back to how he mentioned that this was just the basics, that they had only begun to scratch the surface. How much truth would be reflected in what he showed them today in a course tomorrow? And how much of it was just prattle?

A motive was indeed a strong tool in understanding a known enemy, but was it as strong as he was making it out to be? How was it uncovered? And in what way did it relate back to the criminal?

She brought a hand to her face, letting it rub across her cheeks and below her eyes. Black bags had begun to accumulate not long after the second class, when she began to doubt Roman's teachings. Proper use of makeup helped mask some of the effects of poor sleep and measured exhaustion was able to force her to bed at times, but her lack of proper rest would become known if she wasn't careful. The sound of soft snores and shifting sheets taunted her. Ruby's incoherent, dream-laced mumblings about cookies were suddenly an object of jealousy where they had once been a source of disdain. A good night's sleep was the thing that she wanted the most, and yet she could hardly bring herself to stop thinking about Roman's teachings.

She took a breath. There were still seventeen ribs beneath Ruby's bed, which had started a stranger moving pattern when her leader seemed to toss her thin arm over the side. She glanced at the clock on her scroll and cursed - it was nearly eight in the morning.

Weiss usually reserved Friday nights as the easiest to catch up on sleep. No classes the next day meant that she had a little more time to relax before continuing her studies. But now it was nearing midmorning. While she was sure she had at least a few moments where she drifted off to sleep, much of the time was spent lost in thoughts.

Another night wasted. Another night that Roman could be plotting.

With a frustrated growl, she finally slid off of her bed. Weiss needed to do something, anything to make herself feel like she was really learning, like she was really going to help track down those responsible for attacking the people of her corporation. While it was true that the Schnee Dust Company might not be seen as just in her eyes, it still needed to successfully pass into her hands in order for her to make the changes she wanted to see. No more cheap faunus labor without benefits and proper pay. No more questionable business partners, especially when her grandfather was able to bring the company up from a medium-sized business to the giant conglomerate it was today.

No more coffins for employees, whether they were trained for danger or not.

Tossing off of her nightgown and changing into her more casual day clothes, her small hands went to grip the door handle. But a tiny voice kept her from leaving.

"Weiss? Where are you going?" Turning around, she saw Ruby groggily brushing away the hair at her eyes from her top bunk, her eye mask pushed up onto her forehead. "It's Saturday morning. Really early Saturday morning."

She crossed her arms. "I could say the same about you. Don't you have cookies to dream about?"

The young girl seemed to visibly deflate a little, and Weiss sighed.

She always hated it when that happened. She hated it even more when she was the one responsible for it.

"That was insensitive of me."

"It's okay," Ruby said as she climbed down from the bed, "at least you admitted it. Just say sorry next time." She blearily blinked. "Anyway, where are you going?"

As much as she might have deserved that comment, she still felt the need to bite back her retort. "I'm getting an early start on my assignment from Oobleck. You should go back to sleep." She made a move to open the door, but Ruby's warm, cautious grasp took a hold of her wrist.

"If anyone should be sleeping, it's you."

Weiss took a deep breath, trying to slow her pounding heart. "Let go of me," she harshly whispered. How did Ruby know that she was having trouble sleeping? She had carefully applied her makeup each morning to make sure that-

She forgot her makeup this morning. Was Ruby able to spot the bags in the low light? Quickly shaking her wrist free, she crossed her arms and looked down at her partner. "I'll have you know that I'm doing perfectly fine with my sleep."

The girl in front of her sighed. "Don't lie to me, Weiss. Please." There was a broken lilt in her voice, clearly upset, but it quickly vanished. "You've been more of a grump than usual, and you tend to sleep on your side facing the door."

Her cheeks burned. "You _watch_ me while I _sleep?_ " She hissed.

Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "Kind of hard not to. We share a room, after all, and we're bunkmates too."

"But that-"

"Weiss, look at me."

"Ruby, you can't just-"

" _Weiss_." The urgent tone that came from her lips seemed to put a clamp on any complaints she had.

"I'm your team leader, and I know that it's something I'm still learning to fit into. But I'm also your partner and friend. That means that I'm supposed to also be there to help you, just like how you help me."

Weiss' blue eyes settled against Ruby's silver ones. "I'm learning how to be a perfect partner, just like you. And I can't learn how to help you if you're not willing to at least tell me what's wrong."

She felt her lips ply apart and she cast her head away for a moment before turning back, frustrated at how the diminutive leader's hold on her seemed to take grip at the worst times. "It's about Torchwick."

"I can imagine that, for RWBY and JNPR both," she lightheartedly replied, though an errant yawn and a stretch forced her to close her eyes, her shirt rising just slightly with her shoulders to reveal a bit of her stomach. "What did you two talk about?"

Weiss took a deep breath, slowly letting it through her lips.

"I know he's supposed to be teaching us how to catch criminals as well as working on bringing whoever it is to the light, but I can't trust him. He's stalling for something, and so far all he's done is teach us rudimentary facts. Nothing substantial yet."

She didn't want to bring up the latter half of their conversation with Ruby. She didn't want to think about impetuous voids or emptiness or desires.

Though still looking just a little sleepy, Ruby's attention seemed sharp. "And what are you going to do about it?" A worried edge permeated her voice. "Blake's squared off against Roman before, he brushed aside Yang's attacks, and you heard what Professor Ozpin said about him." She steadfastly looked into Weiss. "You can't handle him on your own."

"I'm not going to fight him, you dolt, I'm smarter than that," She crossed her arms. "I know what I saw in that class the other day, and I'm wondering if Blake got away at the docks because of dumb luck."

"Instead, I decided that the first thing to do is to know everything about him. If he's going to prattle on about knowing our enemies and their motives, then I'm going to put him under his own microscope."

The younger girl brightened. "I like that idea. But…" she placed her hand on Weiss' shoulder and she felt the warmth pooling beneath her soft fingertips. "Let's do it after breakfast, with all eight of us. We signed up for it as a team, so let's act like one."

In a sudden whirl of black and red, and for the briefest moment a quick white, Ruby was suddenly dressed in her day clothes. "I'll wake up Yang."

"Hmph. Good." Weiss plucked a stray rose petal from off the top of her head, still wondering where they came from after all this time and how in the world they always smelled like the real deal. "I'd rather not get punched again so soon."

* * *

Weiss wondered whether the library's expansive bookshelves were more for show than actual use. More often than not, a document could be acquired at one of the service kiosks. With more and more texts being entered into databases, actual books themselves seemed more for show than actual use. Blake had disagreed otherwise, but many of the books she enjoyed were fiction as opposed to an informational resource.

Still, the library provided them what they might not have access to otherwise - a central area where the eight of them could peruse data archives at the same time, allowing them to confer thoughts and ideas as their research continued. Sitting in a sequestered room at the side of the library, separate from the other early morning inhabitants, RWBY and JNPR began their research day.

"Alright, so now that we're in our little private corner, it's time to discuss the purpose of our goal today." Ruby paced at the front of the long table they were seated at, with Jaune standing behind her path. "As Weiss brought up earlier to me, we need to know more about Roman Torchwick. As it stands, we only know that he's a criminal and our instructor. If we're going to be keeping an eye on the guy, we need to know more about him so we can keep him in line."

"Excuse me," Pyrrha said, a gentle, curious look on her face, "but if we're going to be doing this together, where are Blake and Yang?"

"Well," the leader continued, "Blake and Yang were already given their task this morning. They're out in the library locating any documents, books or otherwise, on criminology as well as detective thoughts and practices. While Torchwick's teachings might be sound, we need to act with the suspicion that his education will be incomplete and that we're going to need more."

"Now we've already got some research topics we want to focus on. I ran them by with Jaune, and I think we've narrowed them down to some general goals for today."

Ruby looked at Ren and Nora. "I want you two to focus on any relations he might have. We're talking friends, enemies, colleagues, anyone that he had a clear relation with is to be brought to the light. This also extends to any locales he visited in the past - bars, joints, hotels, anything like that if possible."

The two nodded and loaded their scrolls into the desks in front of them, a holographic screen appearing before them as they started to tack away at the keyboard. Ruby then turned to Jaune and Pyrrha.

"I want you to two to work with Weiss and me to find out about his past exploits and develop an understanding about his criminal background. If we can see what he's capable of or what he's likely to do, it's going to give us an advantage if it comes to trading blows. I don't think I need to remind you of what he is capable of so far, so let's hop to it!"

Weiss clenched her right fist. She swore that it still felt just a little sore after Yang's punch had its way with it. Still, the pain did not return as the six of them began to dive into the archives. And with Torchwick's particularly notorious name, it was easy for them to begin to locate activities in the public archive.

To date, he was the primary suspect for twenty two high-scale robberies, often targeting big businesses in the region of Vale. He particularly enjoyed capturing arms and weapons, stealing from both military and civilian producers to sell to clients. He had two successful heists against the Schnee Dust Company, and with much of his robberies there were a string of suspected first-degree murders for many those who had been killed.

In addition to these, there were also a series of possible robberies or other activities that might have been committed by Torchwick. The issue, however, was that they were only by inference. Eyewitnesses or those who had been at the wrong end gave reports of someone who matched certain parts of his profile, but nothing else. A cane, orange hair, small bits that were not enough to identify the person, but included him in the criminal profile.

Still, something was bothering Weiss. Sipping away at the coffee that Ruby thoughtfully provided for her, she leaned back in her chair, brows furrowed. So far, data that they seemed to come across and discuss were all from his time as a criminal. He always had a formulated plan, and as time went on his activities were conducted with him in a commanding role - very rarely did he end up dirtying his hands in his later activities. They knew about his weapon of choice, a cane that doubled as a gun that fired explosive dust rounds. But try as she might, she had realized that something about Roman was missing.

Navigating back to the page that offered a basic biography of him, she soon spotted what she was looking for. While it documented his criminal cases against him, there was nothing about how he was raised or his parents. Looking up another biography just to make sure, she saw that such data was standard.

Then she went back to Torchwick's page and her eyes narrowed. The man did not have a listed date of birth. At most, he was described as being in his late twenties to early thirties. Going through the paragraphs again, she realized that nothing was officially confirmed about him until six years ago.

Professor Ozpin's introduction from the first class rang loudly in her ears. Torchwick was supposed to have been a very skilled huntsman. But there was nothing listed about his hunting career or training, not even a mention that he was a huntsman. And even then, all hunters, trained, in training, or even deceased were stored in a hunter registry. There should have been an entry with even basic information - profile, skills, completed missions, weapon of choice, known semblances. Even she had one.

But it was as if the man had come into existence only six years ago.

Weiss put her coffee down, turning towards her partner.

"Ruby."

The girl did not respond, head bobbing to the music in her headphones. She rolled her eyes and gave her shoulder a gentle push. The girl snapped up and she slid her headphones down to her neck before turning her head towards her. "What's up?"

"I think we have a problem."

Jaune and Pyrrha looked up from their own screens when she said that. Ruby tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

She prayed she wasn't the only one who was experiencing the issue. "I can't find anything about Torchwick earlier than six years ago." She looked over to the others. "Were any of you three able to find anything beyond that time frame?"

"Now that you mention it," Jaune's eyes squinted, thinking back to the last hour, "I don't recall anything earlier than that as well."

Pyrrha shook her head, turning back to her screen. "There has to be something. If Torchwick is this well known, how can there be nothing on him from that time?"

"He can't have just popped into existence, and yet official sources have nothing on him…" Ruby trailed off. "But with this type of character, they would want every little piece of information possible."

"So then why is there nothing?" Weiss asked herself.

"I found something, Ren!"

Nora's proud outburst shook the four of them out of their thoughts. Jaune was the first to speak. "What were you two able to find? Anything earlier than six years ago?"

The other male shook his head. "I've gone and drawn some possible relations based on archived documents, but nothing directly earlier than that."

Jaune looked towards Nora. "You said you found something, Nora?"

"Yup!" She had a wide smile on her face. "Ren told me to look through pictures and see who he was with. It was actually really hard! There didn't seem to be anything much with him at first outside of basic profile pictures, and-"

Pyrrha shot a questioning glance at Ren. "You had her go through pictures?"

He shrugged. "If we have anything with Roman interacting with someone, that's a sign of a relationship. And given her previous experience with libraries, I just figured it was up her alley." Leaning over to Nora's screen, his glance quickly took on a frown before looking at the other four.

"I think you're going to want to see this."

Standing with the others, Weiss walked over to the desk and looked at the screen, feeling her lips grow thin. Nora had stumbled upon an old article from a media outlet.

**Orphan Accepted into Beacon on Full Scholarship**

In the accompanying photo was Professor Ozpin shaking hands with a young Roman Torchwick.

"Nora," she turned to the girl, who wore a proud smile, "Were you able to find any other pictures?"

"Nope! Just this one so far."

Weiss took a deep breath and sighed. Where was all the information? "Okay. Save it right now and send that article to the rest of us. We'll go over it later."

Suddenly, finding out what filled the void of information meant everything.

* * *

The next time Roman saw the eight students in class, he could feel that something about them had changed. It was in both the way they looked and how they looked at him. They seemed to have shifted their bodies to be smaller, trying to make themselves less of a target, even by a little bit. And they all seemed to give him an unwavering stare, even more than before.

They were afraid of him. Just like Yang was during their first lesson.

He smiled.

"Now that we've gotten the initial basics out of the way, we're going to go over the next step that goes into a criminal act. I went over the why with you, so it's time for us to start examining the how. Specifically," he gave a short pause, "we are going to examine how communication is received by a criminal, how a target is selected, and how it is approached."

They were in a classroom similar to Professor Port's, though this time the board was covered with maps and diagrams of timelines. He had gleaned that it was a history room, though he wasn't sure if the professor was the same as the one he had.

"I will admit that in movies and other criminal portrayals, there is some hint of truth." He flashed a quick smile, "In some cases, they meet in a back room. Sometimes, it is with a pair of representative."

Pushing his weight off against the desk he leaned against, he put his hands behind his back as he slowly paced the room. "But there is a more common source. One that is immediately accessible."

"Care to guess what it is?"

When no one responded, he tilted his head towards them and a wide smile came across his face. "Don't tell me you've all gone mute. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime." Still, he continued his lecture.

"Take out your scrolls. All of you." As the students shuffled in their seats, taking out their tablets, he turned to face them.

"What you are looking at is all the information you could ever want at your very fingertips, whether it is on your enemies or about your potential allies. On each of those devices, you have games, clocks, applications, messages, emails, everything. With a little bit of digging, you can find a sphere of communication where you can talk and learn. You can find a forum. But among these programs and sites, you have easy access to a news media network. And when the news channel starts broadcasting, they're bringing up faces and pictures. Even advertisements provide information - people love to flaunt their wares, after all. 'Come see the biggest diamond on earth, only viewable at the downtown museum.'"

"That's just begging to be targeted. But at the end of the day, these are the outlets that someone has access to. And as we learned last time, anyone is capable of committing a crime." He stopped his steps and stared past the students and into Weiss. "But sometimes, you don't even need this. Sometimes, the thing you want is right next door. It's your neighbor's car, your neighbor's money."

"Sometimes, it's your neighbor. And you see them every morning as they walk by, ignorant of your gaze."

He watched as Weiss stiffened just a little under his gaze.

Turning back to the students, he saw them slowly absorbing what he was saying and continued. "For many upright citizens, it's something that they eventually brush it off. They wish to amass riches, yet they certainly wouldn't go to such extremes to procure it." He felt his own voice rise momentarily, and took a breath to control himself. "But for one person, who feels that the risk is worth it, who judges that what can be gained is worth much more than what could be lost, that access to information is what begins the chain."

"We're not going to be discussing what else might start that chain." He drew out his scroll and docked it into the projector. "For the intents and purposes of this course, we're going to assume that the chain has already begun, that they are working alone, and that the person is examining their target. He or she needs to answer several questions before they can successfully begin their act. They need to examine routes, patrols, and most importantly where their target is."

"But they also must consider what could happen if they are caught. Where do you hide? When do you fight, how do you fight, and when do you run? Every second you're out fighting is another second you're closer to getting caught." Once the image loaded up in front of the class, he saw eight pairs of eyes trace upwards, the video of a bank loaded up. The footage was sped up and time slowly passed from light to dark to light again.

"What you see here is time lapse footage of a bank." Roman's eyes lingered across the entire frame of the building, watching as people milled across it in an expansive blur, yet the structure itself was motionless. A timeless monument to money and what it could do both for and to people.

"If you examine it closely, you will see that there are numerous guards stationed there at all times. Closed circuit security feeds watch people, even when it's shut down for the day. Shutters and other automated heavy barriers block doors, preventing errant intruders. And air vents are carefully designed to let no man in. And supplies and armored trucks only visit the bank at very specific times to ensure that the correct staff is always available to ensure its protection."

He tapped the screen, and he couldn't help but smile as the next picture loaded up. It was an image of the same bank, but with less security measures. Less guards, less shutters, less cameras.

"Miss Weiss," he turned towards the girl, whose gaze settled back against him. "What do you think is the difference between these two examples? And before you think it's a trick question, they are the same bank."

Her stare lingered on him for a moment before moving back to the screen. She remained silent, and he could see her brow furrow in thought. The class was still as Weiss deliberated until finally she looked back at him.

She took a careful breath, eyes locked against his. "You robbed it."

Roman did not immediately return her answer. Instead, a brief pound of surprise echoed across his chest as his heart skipped a beat.

The girl crossed her arms, challenging him. "Well?"

"Very good, Miss Weiss," he placed his weight on the edge of the desk. He let a smile spread across his feature. "It would appear that someone's been doing their homework. And that brings me to the next part - how to conduct a stakeout. And do pay attention, class," he looked towards the other students, "because you're going to put what you learn into practice. You're going to be conducting your own stakeout of a convenience store and then develop a robbery plan as a team."

He took a breath, thinking back to the orange flame that would rise when he lit a cigar, imagining the orange screen gliding over the students as he turned his back to fiddle with his docked scroll. "And after you turn it in, I'll examine what role you agreed to play in your heist. Then in addition to the assignment, we're going to have brief one-on-one interviews to see which roles the eight of you best fit into for your team."

He spun towards them again and gave a cheshire smile as his aura drew back to him, its role complete. "Oh, and bonus credit if you actually _do_ rob the store."

* * *

**Omake: The Job**

The door gave a small jingle as Ruby pushed it open. As leader, it was her job to spearhead the operation. They took care to enter when the front end was unstaffed, the man pulling additional merchandise from the back to restock the shelves. He tended to do that when it was near three in the morning, where he was least likely to have any visitors.

Weiss and Blake followed after her, beginning to browse through what was on display. Very soon they located what they were looking for - cans and cans of catfood. Ruby moved over and unfurled a bag and Weiss began to fill it.

As the man came back he was stopped mid-greeting when Gambol Shroud was pressed against his head.

"Nothing personal, but I need to restock," Blake quietly said. Weiss threw a can over and she caught with ease. "You got a can opener?"

"Blake!" Ruby called out, "Chicken or beef?"

"Do they have fish?"

"I don't see any!"

Blake rolled her eyes and readjusted the gun against his head. "Do you have fish?"

"I-I-I d-don't know!" The man stuttered.

"You wanna go find out for me?"

"Look miss, it's just cat food! I wouldn't know what kinds there are!" He nearly whimpered. "A-And why do you need so much?"

Blake took her gun and pointed it to the side before squeezing the trigger. A series of bullets peppered the refrigerator, riddling the drinks with holes and letting the liquid spill onto the floor. "Don't ask. Just answer."

The man had fallen to the ground, hardly holding himself together. "I told you I don't know!"

"Fine then," she huffed. "Back to my first question. The can opener. Do you have one of those, or will I have to-"

"Found one!" A tin can came hurtling at Blake and clocked her in the back of the head. Quickly whirling around, she saw that it was Weiss who had thrown it at her this time, who was furtively recoiling from her visage.

"What was that?" She spat at the girl in white.

"I found the fish-flavored cat food. I thought you wanted to know," she replied cooly. Looking at her feet, Blake did indeed see that it was fish-flavored.

"Watch where you aim next time," was her terse reply. But as she turned back to where the storehand was, she had found that he had crawled away, most likely moving towards an alarm.

But Yang had that covered. Right as his arm extended to pull the alarm, a quick and strong hand shot out from the side and pulled him into a standing position

"Gonna have to stop you right there, buddy."

"T-There's more of you?" He quickly sputtered.

"Relaaaaax!" She gave an easy look. Dragging him out from behind the counter, she pulled him towards the glass windows and pointed outside, showing him a small camera crew - specifically, Jaune and Ren manning the camera while Nora handled the lighting. A bright smile spread across her lips. "You're on camera - it's just a set-up. We run a candid camera video series online and you've been featured! I mean, who would rob a convenience store for cat food, right?"

The man seemed to decompress considerably, a hand resting above his beating heart. "You are all assholes," he heavily sighed.

"It comes with the territory. Now come on! You've got an interview with the one and only Pyrrha Nikos!" Yang pushed the front door open for him and the man walked through.

And that was when the real stealing began. With the three unchecked as the redhead held the interview and gave him an autograph, they began to take anything of possible value. Lottery tickets, dust, and cookies had fallen onto the list they had prepared previously.

Once their bags and pockets were all filled, they turned their eyes to the register. Neither of the three knew the code for it, which meant that the fastest way was to simply break it open. Ruby and Yang shared a quick glance, giving each other a quick nod to go ahead and get ready to end it.

With a quick strike, Gambol Shroud ripped through the plastic with a loud crunch and the register became undone. The storehand quickly whirled around to see the three of them fishing out the contents of the register.

"Sorry old man," Nora started, a wide grin on her face, "but it's lights out time."

The last thing he saw for the night was the lighting rig swinging into the side of his head.

" _Do I get to break his legs too?"_

" _Sure!"_

" _Hey, not to spoil your fun, Rubes, but I think you're taking this assignment a little too seriously."_

" _But if we're gonna catch the bad guys, we have to think like the bad guys, right?"_

" _Ruby, I hope I don't have to repeat myself - I do not like cat food."_

" _And why are we stealing dust, dolt? If we need dust, you can just ask me and I'm sure I can get some sent over."_

" _It's okay, it's all pretend anyway! I mean, it's not like any of us are gonna actually do bad stuff, right?"_

" _... The next time we have pancakes together as a team, you're paying for the ingredients."_

" _What? Pyrrha, you can't do that to me! C'mon, Jaune, back me up here!"_

" _Nope."_


	8. Veiled Intentions

 

Roman sat in the wooden desk chair behind the opaque veil, its gentle hum grinding away at the air. It felt good to be wearing his usual clothes. He indulged in the way it felt against his skin, and the hat was always a welcome weight over his head.

Staring through the barrier, his eyes focused on the empty chair in front of him and he smiled. Now that he had taken the time to study his surroundings and the two teams, It was time to begin the next phase of his plan - getting them to do what he wanted. It would be a delicate process, but he found himself relishing the thought.

Placing the cane across his lap, he patiently awaited his first student and he wondered if it would be Miss Weiss.

* * *

Team RWBY and JNPR cautiously approached the guest dormitory. They all knew the purpose of an interview and had heard of the supposed gauntlet that some employers put them applicants through. And Weiss certainly knew what went into the whole process.

But this wasn't an employer, she had to remind herself. This was Roman Torchwick. While Ozpin had assured them that he was under strict supervision, the man was still dangerous and apt to play dangerous games. She was surprised that the headmaster had even allowed the interviews to take place. The guards should have reported his activity and by all means the process should have been ground to a halt.

Yet it was continuing, and Weiss worried that somehow the criminal was able to get Ozpin to agree to the idea. Regardless, the die was cast. They were going to have the interviews.

The teams were expecting the conversations to be short. As it was early evening on a Monday, it meant that they would perhaps only be in there for fifteen minutes at most each. But it was still fifteen minutes with a criminal that they all knew was smart and dangerous. As the day grew closer, they had all decided to try and learn as much about Torchwick as possible in the interview they would have with him, but they had come to the understanding that there were no guarantees.

It was easy to locate the man's room - it was the one with the guards in front of it. Thankfully there was a small lobby nearby, so the group at least had a waiting area as each member finished.

Deciding who would go first was the next problem. Ruby immediately took hold of the spot - she claimed she held a direct connection with Torchwick more than the others as she was the first of the eight to encounter him.

"Ruby, I know you two have a thing against each other, but it's dangerous," she voiced. "Let me go first and I can review what he'll look for. As much as we need to go through this, we have to guard our answers."

"I know that," she replied, "and I'll be careful."

"Ruby-"

"Trust me, dolt." Her leader playfully stuck her tongue out at her, and Weiss was left momentarily speechless. Hearing her own words used against her and that cheeky display caused heat to creep up her neck. "Besides, you kind of already went first anyway."

Before she could respond her leader turned on her heel, walking towards the room and Weiss found herself suddenly afraid of what would happen to the girl with silver eyes, worried that this might be the last time in a good while that Ruby would be so carefree towards her.

* * *

Opening the door, Ruby found a plain chair in front of an opaque barrier. Across the shield sat Roman Torchwick in the white coat and black hat she first saw him in. His hair had resumed its classic form, covering his right eye and leaving only his left one visible.

"I should have known you would be the first, Red." He gestured towards the chair. "Come, take a seat."

She took a deep breath before crossing her lithe arms over her small figure. "I think I'll stand, thank you very much."

"Afraid, are we?" he smiled. "I'll have you know that this is the best technology that Atlas has to offer."

"Oh yeah?"

"Allow me to perform a live demonstration."

Before she could even react, Roman had swung the cane at the barrier and a resounding crack echoed through the small hall. She flinched, but noted that the barrier had held, only flickering for the briefest of moments before resuming its original state.

"Besides, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just here to ask some questions." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and chin in his weaved hands. "Please, have a seat."

Feeling that he wouldn't continue otherwise, she moved towards it and sat down.

"Now, close your eyes."

Ruby rolled them instead. "I'm not a child."

"Time will tell. For now though, please close your eyes."

With a deep huff she obliged, and soon the only thing her senses could pick up was his voice and the soft hum of the barrier.

"You and me, Red, we have a strange history. I remember you stopping my dust raid all those months ago. And I've always wondered - what made you fight that day? You could have gone and lived a mostly normal life. Go to school, train, and for all intents and purposes be pretty normal and have normal worries. What made you interfere with my plans?"

"A huntress protects those who can't protect themselves from the Grimm. Or, as Ozpin said is occurring more and more, against those who would seek to do wrong to humankind."

"And what does being a huntress mean to you?"

"Well, I just told you that-"

His soft chuckle cut her off. "You told me what a huntress does to put food on the table. That's not my question. Tell me, what does being a huntress mean to you? Because there are a lot of other jobs that do the exact same thing while keeping your neck in one piece."

"Well, my mother and father are…" she swallowed, mouth suddenly dry, "they are huntsmen. I wanted to take up after them."

"Hm… Didn't mommy and daddy ever go over the risks with you?"

Her mother disappeared doing what was right. "I'm very aware of the risks."

"You certainly don't act like you do. You're honest to a fault, and you dive in head first to try and do the right thing. Maybe you just ignore them. That's going to come back and get you one day. If you succeed in your goal but a teammate pays the ultimate price, was it worth it?"

"I'll be good enough so that it doesn't happen. I'd put myself at risk before any of the others do."

"Noble. But when a criminal only seeks to cause mayhem and destruction and if your teammate is hurt or killed, doesn't that mean he still fulfilled his goal? You'd have sacrificed a valuable friend for nothing if we examined it at that scale."

"I don't want that to happen. No one with the right mind would. But if we see it in another light, one where we look at what we stopped…" she found herself trailing off. The man in front of her said nothing, waiting for her to finish her thought. "We can begin to see the good that the other person wanted to protect."

"Sounds like a bold attempt to look at the bright side of things. You're unusually good at that, you know."

"It's what I grew up with. Humans, Faunus, all of us have something that tells us what's good. I'd like to see that preserved."

There was another low laugh, and she felt herself frown. "Do you think I have some good in me?"

Her finger curled. "You're the first person I've met where I've come to doubt that. But I'm not afraid of you. I'll stop you myself if it gets to that point."

She could hear the smile in his voice. "I suppose you shall. You have quite a track record to uphold when it comes to our encounters, after all."

There was a small silence, and Ruby took the chance to ask the question that was on her mind.

"Ozpin said you were a huntsman before. What made you become one?"

There was a sound of metal sliding against metal. In front of her was was a momentary flicker, a spark from his lighter before the rest of the room suddenly flooded with brightness. She blinked her eyes, feeling her pupils constrict.

He brought the flame to his cigar and she felt herself squint a little.

"It's past your bedtime, Red."

* * *

"Close your eyes, Jauney-boy."

"Do… Do I really have to?"

"Yes, close your eyes."

The blonde sighed as he did so. The barrier whirred as the silence between the two grew with the pitch black darkness. But finally Roman spoke

"You have quite the name to live up to, I hear."

"Yeah, apparently the name Arc seems to mean that you're destined for greatness in some way. I've got seven older sisters, all of them leagues beyond me in just about everything. But I'm the one with Crocea Mors. None of them wanted to use it, and so I guess that left me to be the one to carry on the family tradition."

"And yet you have no idea what your semblance is. What do your parents think of that?"

"Well, my mother says she doesn't care, but… my father…" a frown spread across his face. "I feel like deep down he's disappointed sometimes. He wants to see me become a great huntsman, but I've been anything but."

"Would you choose to be something else instead of a huntsman?"

"No!" the answer left his mouth more forcefully than he realized. "I know that I've got a long way to go before I get to the level of the others, but this is the path I've chosen. I'll get there somehow."

"Do you think you'll end up like your father?" He could hear the smile in Roman's voice. "Pushing around your own little Jaune, trying to get him to continue the family tradition?"

He thought of a little blonde boy sitting in his lap, staring back with bright eyes. "Only if he wants to. Or she."

A short laugh came from the darkness this time. "Don't get too far ahead of yourself, now. But back to the question on hand. Do you feel that finding your semblance will change things?"

Jaune's teeth clenched momentarily and his jaw tightened. He took a breath. "Y-Yes."

"Hmph. Bit of a fool, there." Roman sighed. "A semblance is just a tool. It will help you get what you want. But you're not going to get anywhere with just a semblance alone. Utilizing the tool is the more important factor. It will help you get what you want, but it alone is not the lineage you're seeking to honor."

"If you really want to bring honor to that name, then push on and fight without one - be mighty and achieve great things. Then you'll be remembered as the Arc who outshone his father's achievements with the lot he was given, not the pining sap that lamented over his luck."

"But… everyone who has a semblance is stronger because of it."

There was a heavy sigh. "Let me tell you something right now, Jauney. The reason why you're at the bottom of the barrel isn't because you lack a semblance. If you took away everyone's semblance and they all fought with pure skill, you would still be out of your league. Your search for your semblance, while important for the long run, fails to cover your current shortcomings."

"So stop caring about a heritage to uphold. Your ancestors are called ancestors because they're dead. And for every amazing hunter who has a semblance, there are countless more who have died with theirs. Stop thinking about what you wish you had - you've got acres of diamonds in front of you. Start figuring out what to do with what you do have and what will reap you the biggest benefits first. Then as time goes on you'll find that you've already begun to make a name for yourself."

Jaune couldn't quite believe what he was hearing - was Roman giving him a pep talk? "So what you're really saying is… I should focus on being a better huntsman first?"

"Almost. Rather, locate your strengths and improve upon them to cover your weaknesses. Then focus on eliminating those weaknesses. Everything else will fall into place when the time comes."

It was strange to hear such uplifting words from a criminal. But if all this was true, if this all led to the skill that the man was said to have today…

"Ozpin said you're a skilled huntsman. Is that how you got there? Following that idea of improvement?"

"You can open your eyes now." His eyes blearily blinked as the wall lamps came back into vision. "Perhaps I'll save that answer for a later point in time. Just focus on what I told you and I assure you you'll be fine."

"For now, though, it's past your bedtime."

* * *

"Close your eyes."

"O-Okay!" Nora squeezed her eyelids shut, all thoughts going out the window as she silently sat still, waiting for the first question Roman was going to ask.

"Hmm. Carries a giant hammer, shoots grenades, and has a thing for mischievous fun," he listed off. "Sounds like a cartoon villain if you ask me."

"Except I'm a huntress! I get to save people instead."

"Yes, saving people. What a great joy that must be." He paused, and the next time he spoke there seemed to be something else behind his voice, some playful mix of disdain and cheekiness. "But there's something a little more beyond that. You're actually quite the fragile flower, aren't you?"

"If using Magnhild makes me fragile, I wonder what you consider sturdy."

She heard Roman click his tongue in the darkness. "You're going about it the wrong way. What I'm really saying is that you're always hanging around Ren. You always seem to be looking towards him for reassurance - that you made the right choice or said the right thing or told the right story."

"W-Well, he's a lot better at recalling facts than I am."

"Hmph. Tell me - are you ever afraid of being wrong?" he pointedly said. "Because when Ren isn't there to help, you quite literally clam up."

"Well, Ren, he's…" she felt her face heat up, but quickly shook it away. He didn't see her like that. Or at least he didn't act like it. "He doesn't change. He's like an anchor. I could go and lose myself but… I can always return to Ren."

"Making mistakes is a process of life. You don't learn half as fast without them."

The word came demurely from her mouth. "I… I guess that's true."

"And so is being independent, being able to go off on your own and make your own decisions."

She felt her fingers clench and she tried to relax. There was a brief silence followed by a slow exhale. "Have you ever wondered if you're bothering him?"

"S-Sometimes… But he's never gone away. Even if I embarrass him or otherwise do something stupid, he's always there."

"And would you do the same for him, if he were to make those same choices?"

"Of course!"

"Cute. But whenever you get something right and he acknowledges it, you don't quite get what you want, do you? It's always close, but never what you're really looking for. And as each day goes by, you're just following him like a puppy that's too afraid to explore on her own."

"I wonder…" he slowly trailed off. "What if you woke up one day and Ren wasn't there anymore, or something happened and he was never the same? That sounds like it would be your worst nightmare."

No. Ren was too good for that. He was more capable than her, more skilled, more intelligent, more everything she could think of. But it could happen. She took a sharp breath, and she realized that all she wanted to do right now was get a hug from Ren.

"And though he is certainly capable in battle, he's always absolutely winded after it. Ever notice that? What will you do when you can't protect him in a fight?"

She could say nothing at first, but when she finally spoke her own meekness surprised her. "I'll just have to be strong enough for both of us then."

"Be careful what you wish for, Queen Midas. But you'll never go beyond what you have if you don't take the chance. You'll never really have him if you don't ask the questions or do the things that might make you lose him."

"I won't lose him. I won't allow it."

"Hmph. Good to hear that."

Nora opened her eyes to see Roman taking a drag from his cigar. "You sound like you knew what it was like to lose someone important," she quietly asked. "Did that happen to you?"

Roman scoffed and smiled, slowly exhaling the smoke. "Maybe I have, and maybe I haven't. Either way, I think it's time for you to go to bed."

* * *

Pyrrha sat ramrod straight in the chair. Her legs were tucked together and her hands rested with one above the other on top of her lap. She didn't slouch, and her eyes strayed to the four corners of the barrier before settling on Roman.

"Close your eyes."

She stared back, clearly ignoring his request. Her face was neutral, though she was sure her lips were forming the smallest of frowns.

"You can take my word that this barrier will keep you safe." He smiled, watching her. "Your other teammates walked away perfectly fine, after all."

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Very well then." Her green eyes hid themselves and her vision became dark.

"So," Roman started, "you're the girl who fought her way to the top. Four-time champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament. You're a long way from home right now, though, studying at Beacon. What made you come all the way here?"

"I might be a celebrity in my home country and beyond, but I'm still a person with basic interests and curiosities. I've never been to Vale, and when the opportunity arose I applied."

"It's a natural thing. When we're in a safe setting, we like to explore. I wonder though - what drew you to the arena life? As exciting a match can be to watch, it is still a bloodsport and carries the same risks."

She thought back to her initial years as a student. While she was deemed as gifted by her teachers, a part of her was drawn to the mastery of the self. And what better benchmark was there to measure the self against than other people?

"As a huntress, we are trained to protect those weaker and unable to defend themselves. And to better protect them, I must be strong. And the most direct measure of such strength is in meted combat against others."

"And the tag that is associated with being the best also comes with fame and fortune," she could hear a small smile in the way he talked. "Ever think about how many other boys and girls were like you and wanted gold but got nothing all because they ran into you? How many dreams have you crushed along the way?"

She took a breath, thinking back towards the more crestfallen of the fighters she had faced after she had made a name for herself. "I respect their hopes and goals. I was simply the better combatant."

"Hmph. So, champion, then. Idol. Everyone's favorite." There was a brief pause in his questions. The hum of the barrier was still there. "The Invincible Pyrrha Nikos. That's quite a name to live up to. Do you ever think that you'll wake up as a normal girl with normal friends and it would be the best day of your life? No cereal boxes staring back at you with that smile? Maybe people would treat you like a normal human being."

Just like how Jaune treated her when they first met. But she shook the thought away. "No. That's just a fool's dream. My life isn't like that, and I won't let myself be deluded by such thoughts."

"Do you have a lot of friends? Real friends?"

She wanted to say that she did, but she could only think of the members of RWBY and JNPR.

She didn't even realize he asked another question.

"Do you ever let your hair down, or do you always go around with that crown on your head? Do you love being at the top so much that you can't part with it? Then again, can't let those you're defending get too attached to you, right? Defenders don't hurt what they're protecting, after all. Can't let the weak people get taken advantage any further than they already are."

There was a sharp furrow in her brow and her eyes shot open. "And you?" Her voice rose as she stared deeply into Roman's sudden frown. "What about how you rob these weak individuals of their livelihood?"

The room seemed bright again as she reminded herself that Roman was someone she didn't respect. Could not respect. So long as he walked the streets, lives were at risk.

"I think it's time for your beauty sleep, champ."

* * *

"Take a seat."

Ren did so.

"Close your eyes."

After a deep breath, he did so.

Roman gave a light chuckle. "You and Nora are the only ones so far that didn't complain about anything."

He hummed in response. "I can see that happening."

"You're the quietest of the bunch. No matter what may be happening, you don't seem to actually voice your concerns or opinions. Do you value your solitude?"

"It's… nice."

"It's something I can relate to," the man responded, and Ren could hear the genuine tone behind it. "Nothing worse than a talkative friend at a time where you just want peace and quiet."

Suddenly, he knew what Roman would bring up next, and he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like where this was all going. He felt even more apprehensive than when he first set foot into the room.

"That Nora."

Yup. He took a deep breath and let his hands rest on his knees, feeling them tense just a little bit.

"I'm told that she's quite a handful. Always seems to drive you up a wall, doesn't she? If I had someone like that under me I don't think I'd keep them around."

"I've grown used to it," he tersely replied.

"I can tell. But does she ever get on your nerves?"

"... There have been times where I have felt that way." He could recall a lot of times where he felt that way. But even then he grinned and beared it. And it's not like she wasn't pleasant company at times. It's just that-

"I can't imagine how you do it. You must have the patience of a saint. But why have you never stopped her? What's really driving you to stay with her?"

Ren kept silent. He felt his neck crane forward a little, head tilting towards the ground. Nora was a friend. A very good friend who had been there for him just as much as he had been there for her. She knew his concerns just as much as he knew hers. There was something he valued about her - a value that no others knew because they hadn't seen how the two of them were before they met each other.

"I don't have anyone else to go to." A pause. "Neither of us do."

It was a half-lie. He didn't have anyone else he'd rather go to, not when the two of them knew each other so well.

"Hmph. I don't think that's the only reason, but I'll buy it. Still, cute - partners in loneliness. But do you ever wish that she would just stop being _so annoying_ sometimes?"

"Is that all you want to do?" Ren snapped. "Throw filth around? If you're only here to insult Nora, then this conversation is over."

"Heh heh," he laughed, enjoying the reaction from the young man, "protective, are we? I wonder why you haven't made any moves. I'm sure she would welcome it. Are you afraid of what this might turn into, leaving you lost and confused on what to do?"

He remained silent.

"Or are you're perhaps afraid of being alone again? Afraid that against all your reasoning and logic she might say no?" Roman's voice seemed closer this time - he must have leaned forward. "What's keeping you from just asking? Honestly, I can't seem to think of a reason why she would turn you down. She literally hangs off of your every move. You could have her eating out of the palm of your hand."

Ren took a breath, reminding himself to stay calm. "I thought we were here to discuss more relevant things."

"This is all relevant," Roman slowly replied. "You just don't realize it yet. But I wonder. Do you fear being alone, or do you fear the vulnerability behind asking?"

Before he knew it, Ren had stood up from his chair, staring down at the man as he smiled back. With a louder huff than he would have liked to admit, he turned away and stomped towards the door, blinking away the uncomfortable feeling of his eyes adjusting to the light. He would not answer that question.

He should have expected the criminal to get one last quip in.

"You should ask for a goodnight kiss. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to tuck you in."

* * *

"Close your eyes."

As much as she didn't like it, Blake obliged. She kept herself still as she tried to stay focused, hearing only the hum of the barrier and picking up the scent of his recently finished cigar.

"We all know your roots, kittycat. I saw you at the docks that day, where you oh so openly admitted that you were a White Fang member at one point. And with the whole ribbon thing, too. Quite a show, I must say."

The next thing he said surprised her.

"You're actually a very courageous individual, aren't you?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that." It was a genuine response. Her? Brave? When she had run from all her problems?

"It takes a lot of courage to stand before a tidal wave of condemnation," he placidly said. "It takes a lot more to stand and face two of them."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

He clicked his tongue. "Do I really have to spell it out for you? Think about it. You're a Faunus - many do not appreciate who you are. Even me." He must have smiled, because he seemed light-hearted, and she held herself still. "That's a very large population that dislikes you."

"But then you not only joined the White Fang, but you also left it. That's a whole terrorist cell that wants you dead, and they're far more dangerous than the average citizen. You're up against a lot of people that want you gone."

"This does bring a question to mind, though. While you're protected here as a student, that doesn't necessarily mean that the trip to Beacon was safe." His tone slowed down, his silken voice belaying the sharp tongue beneath it. "I wonder how many friends you left behind when you withdrew from those radicals."

"I wonder how many brothers and sisters you had to kill to make it here safely, people who trusted you with their very lives. Did you happen to keep count?"

She found herself gripping her shoulder, an old scar flaring hot.

"How long have you been with the White Fang?"

Blake sighed, thinking back to how she could have been the poster girl of the group during its nonviolent times. She had put so much stock into that ideal, and to look back now felt like it was all wasted. "Long enough to know that they've changed."

"You lost a lot when you left, then. And you left it all behind because you wanted to do what you felt was right. Like I said, courageous." For a moment things were still between the two. She wanted to fill the void with a question, a comment, but before she could settle on a response Roman had taken control of the conversation again.

"You never answered my previous question."

"Which one?"

"About how many people, Faunus or human, that you had to kill. I saw how you approached our fight at the docks. You went for the kill each time, unlike that other fellow you were with. And that's good, considering what you're being trained for and who we're going to be up against."

"I wonder why you're even in this class, or even in this school for the matter. Clearly you already have a passing grade in killing people."

"I'd rather wish that I didn't," she replied, pulling her arm away from her shoulder.

"Tough luck," he casually said. "If we're going to stop the people who put me here, we're going to have a run-in with your old friends again. But I think that would be a great moment to show them what it really means to be brave, what it really means to make a difference beyond becoming the embodiment of everyone's fears and hatreds."

There was a dull light beyond her eyelids, and she found herself blinking unconsciously, her eyelids shuttering away as she refocused her vision on the man in front of her.

"You talked a lot about courage and being the target of the general public," she found herself asking. "What gave you the courage to turn your back on Remnant? To become a criminal?"

"You have your secrets, kittycat," he gestured towards her bow. "I have mine. Besides, it's getting late. Go take a catnap."

* * *

"Close your eyes, Blondie."

"No."

Honestly, Roman should have seen that coming. Yet as much Yang was on guard, she felt a small smirk tug at her lips as the man in front of her rolled his eyes.

"You can be so childish sometimes." He rose from his seat and walked away for a moment. "Still, if you're not going to comply, I suppose I can always do it the old fashioned way." With what must have been a turn of a dial or flick of a switch, the room began to darken until it was pitch black. She supposed she would have to concede the dark room to him.

"Now then, it's time for us to begin," his voice resumed to being in front of her. "Did you enjoy your homework assignment?"

Of course he would ask about that. "I can't believe that's a serious question," she said, a frown growing on her lips. Of course she didn't enjoy it.

Okay, maybe it was kind of fun when it came to Weiss, but only because it was fun getting a rise out of her. Punching her teammates was not something she wanted to do again.

"Was anyone ever able to stop one of your punches?"

She huffed, feeling her shoulder rise and fall sharply. "No."

Roman returned her answer with a chuckle. "Quite the monster, aren't you? How did Ruby handle it? Did you save the best for last?"

She could already feel small licks of heat at her fingertips. She did her best to convince herself to stay calm. Another breath.

"You really are an asshole, Torchwick."

"Hmph," he sounded annoyed. "Headstrong and brash, and yet you start to fall apart when someone pushes your buttons in a way that can't be solved with just a fist. No wonder it takes a few whacks to make you serious."

"I can't change how I was born. I wonder if you came out with that bowler hat on your head."

He gave a terse sigh. "Blondie, we aren't born with gauntlets or a penchant for doing the foolish. We become. There was a time when you didn't pick fights, when you didn't have a body that the student population lusts over. I wonder what made you become who you are today. We've all got our little ugly stories, after all. Care to share?"

Yang already knew the answer. In the end, she changed because Ruby needed it. She could see it when Ruby didn't realize she or her other teammates were in the area, or when she bit into a particularly good cookie. It was a long stare, one that she learned to cheer away.

She would make sure that Roman didn't get that from her.

"You really know how to talk to a woman, don't you?"

She was expecting him to growl. She had been antagonizing all throughout the interview so far.

Instead, he filled the dark room with a hearty laugh. "Oh, look at you, Blondie. You're an outgoing social fly, and yet when someone genuinely wants to know you more you push them away."

"Funny," she replied darkly. "I don't fucking remember us _being friends_."

"Please, Blondie," he fit in one more low laugh, more of a scoff if anything. "No one wants to be friends with an angry monster like you. You might just hurt them."

"A monster, huh?" she shot back, feeling licks of flame rising through her fingers. "Isn't that what you are? What made you become that? What turned you into the monster you are today?"

Roman said nothing. But very slowly she could feel the lights come back on from through her eyelids and she opened them.

Roman was sitting in his chair, leaning back and shooting a thin smile at her. "It's past your bedtime, Blondie."

Before she could think, she had risen from her seat. With her fist pulled back, she rammed it into the opaque barrier between the two of them. A momentary crack appeared in it, but it was quickly repaired.

"Answer my question!" she yelled, heavy breaths leaving her.

To her annoyance, Roman didn't flinch and his smile only grew wider. "Better keep your monster on a short leash, Blondie."

"You might just let the real one out."

* * *

"Good evening, Weiss."

She noticed that Roman left off the 'Miss' this time. He had leaned back in his chair behind the barrier, but his visible green eye seemed to pierce through everything, looking deep within her already.

"Sit, please."

With more than a little apprehension, she carefully strode over to the empty chair and sat down, carefully placing her hands in her lap, one over the other. She looked up at Roman and saw that his gaze hadn't changed one bit.

"Close your eyes."

Her own blue ones stared back at his green. "I'd rather not."

"Oh, but it will help you answer the questions. Besides," he chuckled, "quid pro quo. This for that. You had quite a few questions for me the other day. I imagine you can begrudge me this little bit."

"Will you be going over more valuable information, then?" she shot back.

"Of course. That's the next thing on the plate for us, pending a few things." His head tilted forward just a little and he smiled. "Now please, close your eyes."

With a final deep breath, she obliged.

There was a short silence before Roman began speaking. "You had a safe home," he started, "you could have lived outside of the fears of man, and you could have any boy that tickled your fancy. What made you come out here?"

She came out here to learn to fight. To learn to really fight and stop those that would harm her company.

"I came out here because I wanted to make a difference."

"A difference, you say. What kind of difference?"

"I saw how things were going inside the company. My father implemented some plans that lacked the civility I expected from a corporation with such a large presence, specifically its lack of proper treatment for employees. It's such an old fashioned idea, I was shocked that-"

"There's no need to lie, Weiss."

Her hands clenched and she froze momentarily. She forced out her next answer as quickly as possible. "What makes you say that?"

"We have business schools all over Remnant." She imagined that he was smiling as he spoke. "If you wanted to learn how to run a business, measure opportunity costs, and build marketing campaigns, you would be there. Besides, it's written all over your face. What did you really come to a combat school for?"

"I came here to learn to fight."

"To learn to fight…" he trailed off. "Perhaps more accurately described as a form of proactive self-defense. But why here? Couldn't you hire a private tutor?"

"My father would have picked it out for me. And I've been under that before. I was not impressed by the curriculum path that was offered to me, so I applied to Beacon and was accepted."

"No military? I'm sure they would have welcomed you there with open arms."

"The Schnee Dust company has always had a few fingers in the defense business ever since its inception. Going into there wouldn't be any different." Besides, her sister was already in there, and while she loved her sister that wasn't what she wanted.

"So you went for a more hands on approach. I like it. Is that how you got your scar, Weiss?"

It was an attack at one of their sites, not something too uncommon. Some machination in a giant suit of armor. The rest of the high-profile employees had already fled as usual, leaving the others behind. But she stayed and fought. These were people that were here to hurt her company, that could hurt her family.

To turn her back and flee, to abandon those caught by ill fortune was everything she hated.

"Yes," her voice was firm, strong, confident, and something else.

"You say that with conviction." Roman paused, taking a small breath. "I wonder how your father felt when you walked out with that scar."

She found herself with a small smile on her lips, recalling the memory. "He was livid. He said that he would take me off of the inheritance list if I did anything reckless like that again."

"... You're proud of it, aren't you?"

"It's a sign that I did something that mattered. I saw something valuable and stuck my neck out for it, like how the very first Schnee risked her entire savings on dust and gave birth to a legacy. I wasn't the best, and didn't do it right - I have this scar as proof. I made mistakes in that fight, but because of my mistakes, I learned. I stood alone against criticism and doubters, yet I have prevailed."

It was her turn to huff in satisfaction. "And I'm still on his list."

Roman chuckled. "It sounds like you were always a bit different from the rest of your family, weren't you? Maybe not unorthodox, but at least never afraid to try a different approach."

"No one in my family takes big risks outside of financial choices. When we have to fight something outside of the business world, and we know it's bigger and scarier, we run. We chalk it up as a business loss and move on. We convert it to a form that we understand - lien."

"And yet the first Schnee was a huntress before an entrepreneur. If business has taught us anything it's that the more things change, the more certain things have to stay the same. I don't want to run anymore. I'm here to learn how to really fight and protect. I refuse to let another employee be at risk outside of the standard work hazards."

"Besides, I think it would be a good idea to refresh ourselves on what a huntsman or huntress needs dust to do for them. Nothing beats first hand experience."

"I'm starting to understand what you mean. No more coffins, am I right?"

She made no move to answer, but she felt her hands wringing in her lap.

Roman spoke slowly, enunciating every syllable. "Zeal isn't a sign of rebellion. It's an outlet of a part of your character and depicts who you are. It's a measure of how much you value something, and what you will do to secure it." He took a breath.

"But I'm willing to guess that you're not just a little different, are you? It must have been lonely. They accepted who you are, but they did not embrace your differences, did they?"

"... I will show them." The words had fallen from her mouth before she even realized. "While I may not be the one to usher them into another age of unimaginable prosperity like my grandfather, I will show them what it means to be a Schnee. I will change the face of our company."

"That's not what I was talking about."

Her brow furrowed, unsure at what he was trying to lead her towards or if she even wanted to know. "What are you saying?"

"Tell me, Weiss," he calmly spoke, "As perhaps the richest girl in all of Remnant, what leads to coveting?"

Again with the idea of desire. "To covet is to desire. I desire-"

"Incorrect," he slowly said, and she flinched. There was a strange tone in his voice, one she hadn't heard him use before. It took her beating heart to make her realize that her father had often carried the same weight in his voice - anger.

"We covet first. We desire second. Only when we begin to understand what we covet can we begin to desire it, and we covet what we see, Weiss. A man may see an object, but only once he understands why or what he sees it as can he begin to shape his desire in regards to it."

He took several slow breaths, and his voice resumed his controlled pace. "What do you covet, Weiss?" he finally said. "What do you see?"

Ice blue eyes met ones of soft silver.

"I see Ruby."

It was an answer that tumbled from her lips.

There was a knowing chuckle in the darkness, as if victorious. "As a woman, or what she stands for?"

Weiss said nothing. But after a moment, she opened her mouth and spoke.

"Quid pro quo, Torchwick." Weiss uncomfortably shot back, sidestepping his question. "What do you covet?"

He chuckled, "You already know the answer to that."

Light receded back into her vision, and she blinked away in surprise as her eyes strained against its suddenness.

Strange. Weiss didn't recall opening her eyes. Whatever it was, she pushed the thought out of her mind - his whole room was now flooded with light, the wall lamps giving off a soft, steady glow.

"It's time for you to go now. Say hello to Red for me."

She rose from her seat and began to move to the doorway, lost in thought.

"And Miss Weiss."

She paused in the doorway, irked that the little pet name he gave her had returned. Whirling around, she looked straight at him.

His green eye gave her a quick one-over before flashing back. "Love the dress. Maybe she'll finally bite and take it off your form like you've always wanted."

Weiss' gaze bore into his, silent and expressionless. She kept her lips closed, unwilling to give him anything else to work with. Not when her own mind was still churning over their conversation.

"You know what they say, Miss Weiss. Nothing risked, nothing gained. Even I have to obey that law."

She had enough of Roman. With an angry glare and a huff, the girl opened the door and slammed it behind her with heavy footsteps.


	9. Field Prep

"Are you sure this is enough soldiers, Ozpin? I can clearly see several instances where Roman won't be under direct surveillance with the path he's been given."

He was in Ozpin's office once more. The walls and ceilings ticked and tocked, the echoes careening through the crystal barriers once more. Timeless, as always.

Once again at his sides were two guards, weapons trained, safeties off, standing still as the meeting progressed. On the wooden table in front of him was a projected map, colored pins depicting entry points, exits, patrols, paths, and more values and statistics that Roman couldn't care less about. And across the table from him were the three who were in charge of the operation.

They had been discussing their "field trip" for the past week. Glynda still opposed the idea and Ironwood wanted to force his way in to try and capture the supposed head of the club. Only Ozpin seemed to express any idea of subtlety when it came to working his way into the area, something that the two of them shared.

But even then, the headmaster posed a giant hurdle for Roman. If he lacked the proper freedom during the operation, that meant that it would be difficult for him to get what he wanted. While it was meant for them to confirm information regarding Cinder, he still had his own task he needed to fulfill.

Namely, that was sending a message to Neo outside of the scope of what this mission allowed. His scroll naturally was still unable to send messages. Even then, it would have been monitored and his chance would have been shot down. And with how closely he was being watched, a spare moment to slip a note out would be impossible, much less with no one around to take one for him.

Now it wasn't necessary for Roman to send one to her. If everything went well, Junior would be able to handle that for him. But there was no doubt that any additional information he could pass over would be useful for him.

"James, you forget that while this is a mission that requires your soldiers, we will have eight students to keep an eye on him." Ozpin shot a quick look at Roman. "While I know Roman is skilled, I am under the impression that even eight of them might be too much for him."

"Hmph," Roman smirked, "no offense taken." The three of them had been going back and forth over what the mission would entail. What was supposed to be a meeting discussing its path quickly devolved into further and further additions to the plan, which were then cut and re-examined. Most of the dissent stemmed from the general while Glynda seemed to simply shoot sharp glares at the both of them, contributing very little to their plan besides pointing out flaws that might have been overlooked.

"Besides," Ozpin drew himself back in his chair, examining the map once more, "this plan follows the Atlas military standard when it comes to transporting a VIP or criminal. You yourself have used this plan countless times in the past."

This time it was Ironwood's turn to sigh. "I still don't like it. There is a gap where no soldiers can see-"

"It's going to be five seconds, James," Glynda uttered sharply. "Torchwick is not about to take out eight students in that time, especially if he's unarmed."

Before the man could say anything else, Ozpin cut into the group again. "It doesn't matter how much time passes. What matters is that we have a plan that for the most part has only the tiniest of windows. Perfection is appreciated, but it is not needed." He looked up at Roman.

"Besides, we've kept Roman long enough."

"Finally! I was wondering if I should just take a nap here." He stretched his limbs in his chair before slouching back against it, shooting a small smile at the headmaster as he laid his wooden cane across his lap. "Take it away."

"As you no doubt have overheard by now, we will be approaching this with a checkpoint procedure." With a few taps to his scroll, the map turned, with a red dot beginning about two blocks south of the club. "We cannot simply drop you off in front of the club, as that would be too visible. So you will be instead dropped here and will follow this path."

The red dot began to trace its way towards the club, following short turns and crossing streets. "You'll be passing several checkpoints, each of them manned by several Atlas soldiers under cover. Deviation from the path will be considered as an act of attempted escape and will be met with swift force. We will also be timing you. While not stringent, they will help make sure that you are following the path."

"So connect the dots, like a kid's book." Roman shot a look towards Ironwood. "Is that what Atlas' tax dollars go to?"

The general remained silent, crossing his arms and simply returning his gaze with a glare. Roman felt his lips tugging up into a smile, but before he could say anything else Glynda cut between the two of them.

"I think you would appreciate the simplicity of the initial phase. While some Atlas soldiers will be able to blend in and sneak into the club, you will have to figure out a way to get in on your own." She adjusted her glasses. "I trust your silver tongue is good enough to get you inside?"

He winked at her. "I can get into a lot of things."

Glynda visibly flared up, and she crossed her arms. "I would appreciate it if you kept your innuendos at a minimum."

" _Roman_ ," Ozpin once again reigned in the conversation, "we are here to discuss your operation. I'm only going to ask you for your patience just a little longer." Not even looking up at him, the professor tapped a few more buttons on the screen, letting them zoom in on the infrastructure of the club. "Once you're inside, your next task is to convene with the owner, confirm the plan, establish a method of contact with your confidant, and then exit the club."

"This is where things might get a little off track, so to speak," Roman spoke up slowly. "A lot of these things will have to happen behind closed doors. I understand what the guards are meant to do, but what good will they be if this all takes place in a situation where they cannot assist? And how are you going to have them sneak in with concealed weaponry?"

Ironwood shot him a quick smile. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" This time it was the general's turn to put on a smug look. "I run one of the most highly trained and advanced military forces of Remnant."

"Do I need to bring up the fact that I stole your Paladins?"

The man did not back down. "I'd like to see you try that again."

"Is that a contract? Because that screams 'pay me'."

"No," Ironwood replied cooly, "it's a veiled message for you to shut up and get back to the concern you mentioned. My men will play their part. You will do yours."

Roman smiled. "I didn't think you had the balls to say that to my face." Turning back to Ozpin, he spoke again. "So as I said, this will be a meeting that will most likely take place behind closed doors. I assume that I will be having some jurisdiction on how I approach the situation?"

"Indeed. While we will be monitoring what you say with a bug, how you obtain the information will fall under your discretion." Ozpin started. "However, if you are to go behind closed doors, you are to have two of the students accompany you to make sure that you do not do anything that would jeopardize the situation."

The man's glare seemed to know that this visit to the club was a danger. While they would obtain the information needed, it was at risk of Roman getting in contact with the underground in a way that would pose problems for the future. Ozpin seemed to almost trust the idea that he would do something wrong.

And he was probably right in most cases. But in here, Roman needed to play the role of the willing accomplice. Aside from something that could be easily hidden or misled, he had to follow the orders to the letter. There was too much at risk for now, too much that hinged on having the correct information.

He adopted a solemn face. "That might be difficult. Junior has a pair of guards, twins, that he keeps close at all times. If someone is to have a direct meeting with him, then the standard courtesy among our kind is that the visiting party must have at least one less in their accompanying party. Otherwise it is seen as a threat."

"Hard to imagine that people like you would have some sort of creed," Ironwood said.

Roman shot a quick glance at the general, but otherwise ignored his comment. "I'll be frank, Ozpin. Trust is hard to come by in a proverbial den of thieves. Thus, appearance is everything. I can follow rules, and I sure as hell can dress nicely. And I'm sure that the students have the know-how to apply at least a little bit of fashion."

"But there's one thing I'm missing." He let his hand fall upon the cane in front of him. "I'm going to need my cane if I am to make a serious impression."

Silence fell across the table, with the three exchanging glances between them. Ozpin was the first to speak. "That's quite a hefty thing to ask for. That's your weapon you're requesting."

"Indeed," Roman solemnly spoke, "but at the same time, outside of aesthetic purposes my cane is a method for me to protect the rest of the students. We're going to be entering a public club - they can't have visible weaponry, meaning that most of them are going to have to enter with minimal ways to defend themselves. A little extra muscle is going to go a long way here. And if I have to enter a fight that's numerically uneven, I would like to make sure that the rest of the playing field is level."

Melodic Cudgel would be more than just a way to level the playing field. Made from the hardest reinforced metals he could pay to get his hands on, his cane had seen numerous upgrades since when he first developed it as a student. At first nothing more than a glorified staff with a hidden blade inside, it became more and more, eventually abandoning the blade for a chamber and firing mechanism. That part, however, wasn't missed. With enough aura, piercing through flesh and bone was easy enough, though a little messy to clean.

But beyond that, though, it was a tool for this mission. It would make getting into the club much easier if the bouncers at the front knew he was armed. Junior would take him more seriously if he walked into his vision with his signature clacking and gait, and he needed Junior to take him seriously. And if things did get out of hand, it was a way to bring things back under control.

"What do you say, Ozpin? Does that sound like a reasonable idea to you?"

"... I think it's time for us to convene and discuss this new term of yours."

* * *

It was easy for Roman to see why Ozpin had set team RWBY to be his students. They had fought him before, and through various means had made themselves involved with vigilante activity. They were opposed to him, and it clearly showed. He didn't doubt that they would turn on him if he stepped over the line. Even if they were outclassed, a team of four still posed a significant threat. His experience with the Paladin taught him such.

Thankfully, that wasn't an issue for his escape. In fact, that was one of the better scenarios it could have ended on.

But a question he found himself returning to was inquiring why JNPR was a part of the class as well. It was something that had been bothering Roman for some time now. While they may have been ranked as above average, much of that crown was upon Pyrrha Nikos. Jaune himself was below average, though looking through his performances during his time at Beacon he was showing steady improvement.

He often thought back to the first day where Ozpin had helped settle any fears that their leader might have had. As he listened in on the conversation, it was clear that the headmaster made some points on why he chose them. Pyrrha had the heart for it, Ren and Nora were orphans, and Jaune was to act as a moral balance. But in the back of Roman's mind he couldn't help but feel that there was a bigger reason behind it.

With how the man had described things to Jaune, it sounded as if he envisioned the teen, or even the whole team, to play a more support role to RWBY. They were to either enable them in some way or handle smaller tasks so that they could focus on the main ones. And it made sense, even at its most base levels. A team of eight was safer than a team of four, and it allowed flexibility. After all, if someone died or was incapacitated, another could take their place in the middle of a mission.

Roman figured that such a situation, while he would relish it, might be far ahead in the future. Even his own goals of killing Cinder and escaping were placed above killing the students. He might make an exception for Ruby though - that Red always seemed to get in the way at the worst times.

But at the end of the day, no matter how hard he thought about it Roman concluded that figuring out Ozpin's goal was a pointless endeavor. He had his own motives, and he was sure that Ozpin had his. He was expected to train both teams, no matter how much more of an obvious choice one was over the other, or how odd that the two would be juxtaposed together.

And just like he had done so before, from proposing the field trip to his lessons to his little interviews, it was time to fix the dice.

"Today, we will not have our standard lecture about criminality."

The two teams were back in the sparring hall, where their first lesson was held. Roman wasn't actually expecting them to jump into some sort of fight, but he felt that the setting still fit what he wanted to go over with the students.

"Today, as I mentioned earlier, we will be going over the roles that the eight of you best fit into, and provide the initial overview of how your team will work together. Much like how an institution serves many needs and thus has many individual roles within it, if you're going to be serious about capturing criminals you will need to acknowledge and accept certain specialized roles to both execute plans and adapt to evolving situations."

Roman stood at the front of the stage, letting the spotlights shine against him. Once again he loathed the fact that he couldn't wear his preferred outfit, but a misstep at this point would have been detrimental. With Cinder's plan to interrupt the Vytal Tournament with chaos, it would be so easy to slip away with Neo. Getting ready for it was the more important part, and if that meant dressing differently, then he could let that slip.

"In an ideal situation, it would just be you and the particular criminal. There it becomes a battle between two wills. But if you did your homework right and you truly have them on the run, they're a cornered beast where any option becomes a possibility." He shot a sharp smile to Ruby, who did her best to return it with her own steel gaze. "And if they're like me, nothing is too dirty. Hostage situations, environmental hazards, any of those could be something you may have to face one day."

"If you have to pick between catching the criminal and protecting others or minimizing casualties, there are two schools of thought. On one hand, protecting the common citizen is considered the safer choice. There is less risk involved, the possibility to reduce damages, and it is less likely to cause additional situations. But if we were to let the criminal get away, we allow the possibility that there will be future instances of criminal activity."

"As I have mentioned before, I am under the impression that your role is to be the specialized team that defeats or captures high-profile criminals." He began to pace the stage, as he had done so many times before. "With that in mind, I assume that the previous conundrum will not be an issue - you would be authorized to pursue and use the necessary force to bring someone down. But that doesn't mean that you can allow rampant destruction through negligence. Your role as hunters of men would be short-lived otherwise."

"Under ideal circumstances, all eight of you will contribute directly to capture, whether that's springing the trap or firing the bullet. But as I said earlier it's never going to be ideal. So after reviewing your individual strengths and weaknesses, I have come to the following conclusions."

Stopping in his tracks, he turned to the audience, specifically towards Jaune and his team.

"In the situation where a secondary objective arises that demands immediate attention and separation of the eight of you, whether that's defeating reinforcements, protecting bystanders, or even creating an opening for the team, Team JNPR is to focus on that objective, and for several good reasons." Roman began to pace again.

"Examining the skills of each member and what they individually bring to the table, JNPR possesses a broader skillset. First, in terms of effective ranges via armaments, we have a rifle, automatic pistols, and a grenade launcher. This weapons spread offers flexible adaptability - they cover short, medium, and long range. While it could be argued that the grenade launcher and Blondie's gauntlets offer similar payloads, the grenade launcher is has an easier time delivering its attacks. Range is important because sometimes there may be a shootout situation, and the ability to react properly to it is tantamount."

"But... I don't have a gun," Jaune carefully replied. "I'd be useless in a gunfight. All of RWBY has some form of ranged ability or can enhance them."

Roman sighed and shook his head, looking back at him. "Have you already forgotten our little conversation?" A frown grew on his lips. "Get good enough that you don't need one, or develop a method to support your team as they shoot. Again, lowest hanging fruit principle - figure out the easiest way to support your team in a firefight and go from there."

"But that actually brings me to my second point. While you might not have a gun, Jauney, you and Pyrrha have a shield. While I'm not expecting them to expand and cover the face of an entire building, their purpose remains the same. They provide some form of defense outside of your aura, and with some practice I'm sure that you can develop a method or strategy that can provide cover for the those around you."

"Finally, the biggest reason why they will play the support role is because of Nora Valkyrie."

As he expected, his comment turned heads and a low murmur spread across the students. Even Nora herself looked surprised at his declaration. Taking a breath, he continued to speak. "Our spritely friend here packs a lot of power with her weaponry. However, what she really brings to the field is her semblance." Roman turned to look at her green eyes. "I'm told that you are able to absorb electricity, is that correct?"

"Yep!" she smiled a little cautiously, "They give me a strength boost too!"

He nodded at her response before turning back to the class. "The forms in which an enemy's attack may take shape as can be very varied. However, with Nora's ability to negate and absorb one type of element in combat, this means that we are cutting out an entire possible form of attack. In addition, many pieces of equipment utilize electrical energy, meaning that in an urban situation she technically has a near infinite pool of resources she can draw power from. In terms of raw power, Blondie might have the most immediately accessible pool, but I wouldn't be surprised if Nora has the ability to deliver more and for longer."

"All these facets come together to create a flexible team, capable of dealing more effectively with different situations. This sets them up to be a support team, whether that is before, during, or after an operation, while also being able to respond to an ultimatum situation - where you must pick between the criminal or the populace.

"Any questions so far?"

Ruby was the one to speak up. "So if JNPR is to be the support team, would it be safe to assume that RWBY will be focusing on capture?"

"Correct, Red," he smiled at the young girl. "While JNPR is ultimately more flexible and may even have more power available than RWBY, your particular team has two things that they don't. The first is speed. Kittycat here is fast and your semblance is pure speed. Maneuverability on a battlefield means that you're able to cut off an escape route more easily than JNPR should things escalate that way."

Roman then turned towards Weiss, who frowned at him. As he had said that night, he was going to begin doing more practical things in class, but it would still be limited. He doubted that while they would see any real action aside from shadowing missions as first years, the lessons would have to spend a little more time in gearing them towards the field. The police force would most likely take over after Cinder had been dealt with, and they would continue their education under their close watch.

He couldn't be an instructor anymore at that point. He needed to be out of Beacon by then. Still, hopefully the next few classes would help with taking her gaze off of him.

"Once you're able to cut them off, the next step is capture, which is the other aspect that your team specializes in. Miss Weiss here is an expert dust user. With some smart ice usage as well as glyph manipulation, I don't doubt that you could cut them off and trap them in place. And if you still need it Blondie here can pack a punch, meaning that if they throw something your way you still have some stopping power."

"Thus, RWBY will be the pursuit team and JNPR will play the supporting role. Now this doesn't mean that the whole team will split in half should a situation arise. In some situations, only one or two of you may need to break away. You will still need to determine when and how a split should occur. If the criminal is fond of using electrical abilities, for example, you're going to want to take Nora with you. If it's a car speeding away, Red will be the one that will have to catch it."

Roman resumed his walk again, but this time ending in front of team JNPR. "And I'm sure that while the eight of you will convene and discuss strategy before your operation, the battlefield is a changing landscape that you must adapt to. There will be times that someone must give the order. You need to be able to make a split decision while under stress and possibly little to no information."

"Now at first I was wondering if I should just have a fight between the two leaders, but that would be barbaric and one-sided, no matter how fun that might be to watch." His eyes floated to Jaune and he saw the teen reel back with silent realization. "So instead, I recommend to have Jaune be the one to make those types of decisions."

What Roman witnessed was best described as a stake being driven between the two teams. There was a stiffness in their movements, as if there was suddenly a Grimm in the room. Uncomfortable gazes shot between the two teams. They knew that while not incompetent, Jaune also was not the most stellar of choices.

Yang, however made her discontent very known. "I don't feel particularly comfortable taking orders from Vomit Boy, here."

"He's not going to be the sole leader of the team," Pyrrha tersely replied in his defense. "What is being suggested is that he would make the decision to separate if a situation arises."

"Blondie," Roman jumped in before either could say more, "your team is going to be built around the concept of pursuit and capture. RWBY has skills that will allow you to catch up and disrupt an escape path more easily than JNPR can. JNPR on the other hand, has the flexibility to handle an off-hand situation. In such cases, Jaune, who knows his team better than you, will be able to order his team to break off and deal with the issue. The only time he would give an order to RWBY is if a situation came up that JNPR alone could not handle or better falls into the scope of RWBY. And to best know that, the eight of you are going to need to start training and fighting together. That way Jaune is able to give the best order when deemed appropriate."

"Besides, this will be a co-led operation. If a higher party didn't give you a plan, then when you build it the both of you are going to be determining what your steps will be. Does that clear things up for your head?"

Yang gave turned her head away, crossing her arms, legs restless, as if she would walk out of the room. Still, the rest of the dissent seemed to have died out once it became clear that the teen was not being elevated to a sole power. Even Jaune seemed more relaxed once his role became clear cut.

Still, there was an air of discontent, specifically from Yang. That discontent could build up just as easily as it could fall away. And if their little group trainings were less than successful, it could spread into distrust amongst the two teams. Even if it didn't, though, it was acceptable. It was now easier for JNPR to break away from RWBY, meaning that escape would be easier on the actual day.

In other words, it was exactly what Roman wanted.

Before he could continue his lecture, though, a small beeping noise echoed across the hall. At first he was unsure, watching the other students fumbling through their scrolls to make sure that it wasn't theirs.

But then he realized why it was unfamiliar to him. It was his own scroll, and he had never received a message on it. Drawing it out and looking at the screen, he felt his lips curl into a smile.

"Just in time." He looked up at the students. "Get ready to doll up boys and girls, but keep it functional."

"It looks like we're going on a field trip."


	10. Dropping a Line

" _I'm going to remind you, Roman, that you are to have one focus. You will confirm the information with Junior, establish a method of contact for Neo, then rendezvous at the extraction point. Have I made myself clear?"_

Ozpin's words were still ringing in the back of his head. Sitting in the back of an armored car with two guards, his eyes were closed, focusing on hum of the engine once more. In his gloved hands was his black bowler hat while his white coat was folded and draped over his arm, waiting for the movement to stop and engine to die.

Finally, the vehicle ground its way to a halt. The hum stopped. Opening his eyes, the three guards had now stood up, one of them with his weapon trained on him.

"You know the route from here," the other guard said as she opened the door. "As a reminder, along the path will be two checkpoints. Guards will be timing you to monitor your progress, and at each one will be Team JNPR, then Team RWBY. As you pass by the checkpoints they will follow after you, and then you will enter the club. We have some personnel in there, so they will also be monitoring your progress on the inside."

"Are we clear of any White Fang in the area?" Roman asked, not even looking at the guard as he stepped off the vehicle. His eyes scanned the vicinity, noticing that they were at the back of what appeared to be a loading dock for a small shop - no doubt a cover-up to ensure that the populace was unaware of the military presence.

"So far no Faunus have been spotted that are considered out of the ordinary. Ironwood has had the path monitored in an attempt to recognize the ones who commonly visit the area, so we at least have some form of database to compare faces to."

"Hmph. Comforting." Turning to finally look at the guard, he put on his white coat and hat, completing his look before extending his hand. "I'm missing my last piece. Care to pass it over?"

The guard took a deep breath before returning to the vehicle briefly, punching in a code on a keypad. With a quick beep, a drawer opened to reveal his weapon, Melodic Cudgel. With a ginger touch, the woman retrieved it and extended the handle to Roman, who just as carefully took it into his hands.

"I can't believe you talked them into letting you have this."

"You trust your own plan, don't you?" Roman casually replied. But the moment his cane entered his hands, he shut out almost everything else. It simply felt good to have his weapon back. Turning it over, he began to press the buttons, listening as hatches opened and hammers clicked, making sure that nothing was out of order. He lifted it in his hands a few times, checking to see if its weight had changed at all.

Finally, with one last button press at the beginning of the handle's curve, the cane elongated and turned, revealing a long hollow gap, a ignition chamber that also allowed manual loading. Making sure that everything looked clean and in order, he closed the opening. Naturally they would never let him have a loaded weapon. But while Melodic Cudgel had a normal feeder for ammunition, direct access to the chamber meant that he could utilize other types of rounds as well.

Red would probably kill to see some of the more intricate parts of his weapon.

"Looks like you've been taking good care of my little friend here. I'd commend you but that might get to your head."

"It was held by the police department. We'll be returning it after your job here is done tonight."

"Hmph." Obviously he didn't expect that he would get to hold onto the weapon. His hand circled around the top and he let the tip fall against the ground, a comforting and familiar clack resonating across the walls. "I suppose there's just one thing I have to ask now." Reaching into his his coat, he slowly pulled out a cigar. "Got a light?"

The guard paid no heed. "The clock is ticking, Torchwick. Get going."

With a sigh, his hand snaked back into his coat and drew out his lighter. "Didn't need you anyway," he listlessly sighed. With a flick, the flame came to life and lit his cigar. Taking a deep drag, he let his feet guide him on the path to the club.

In a strange way, he felt almost nostalgic as one foot fell in front of the other. This was his city, after all. He could confidently say that there was not one part that he did not at one point visit or have a hand in. Roman wouldn't say that he controlled every part of the city, but he held more territory compared to other parties, something that he had been working on not long before Cinder came and hired him.

He felt his mouth grimace at the thought of her. While she was a substantial contributor to his funds at the time, she was also responsible for where he was now. And since his "incarceration", he was sure that he had lost much of his influence in the underground.

He gave a sharp exhale, smoke leaving his lips. It would have to be one of the things he asked Junior later tonight. Assuming his successful escape and murder of Cinder, that would leave a wide vacuum of power in the area. Vale would become a hotbed of criminal activity with her out of the way. The White Fang might rise up to fill the spot, but any other crime lord would just as likely attempt to seize power. But if they weren't ready to compete and maintain their hold, any position they might gain could be lost easily.

He would be starting at the bottom again if none of his previous contacts remained loyal to him.

Hopefully they were still alive.

Rounding another corner as he walked, he took a breath and paused, his eyes staring at the ground. It had been a long time since he walked the pavement like he did now. Roman liked to believe he was doing his rounds back then as a routine. It kept him visible with the groups and businesses he ran or held a vested interest in protecting. It meant that he exposed himself to risk, whether that would be the police or rivals.

But it wasn't as if they struck fear in him anyway. He soundly crushed the last group of thugs who were sent to intercept him on his route, and then some. The particular mafia group didn't try again, and within a month he had taken over much of their own territory before personally stamping them out.

No one was going to take what he had worked so hard for. It was his. And if it wasn't his already, it would be soon.

Putting the cigar back in his mouth, he continued on his path, going through the first checkpoint where JNPR was waiting for him. The first thing he noticed was their different clothes. Most aspects stayed the same aside from some core changes. Jaune had donned a long-sleeve beige button-up that hung just a little bit from his form, untucked over black pants. Ren seemed to wear a traditional or perhaps stylized version of his green top - extra long sleeves that grew wide toward the end and with a front that extended to about the middle of his thighs. Pyrrha was a little less subdued. She removed the circlet and had gone with tan jeans and matching halter top while keeping her ponytail and sash, using the red length of cloth as an impromptu belt.

Nora, on the other hand, looked exactly the same minus that metal corset around her torso. Roman briefly wondered if she had forgotten the memo, but she seemed entirely oblivious to the fact that the rest of her team had changed into things that were club-appropriate.

Briefly locking eyes with Jaune, he gave the boy gave a short nod as he walked by the group. They were looking like they had just finished some coffee at a cafe, doing their best to blend in with the group. Their leader was the first to rise, offering to throw away their trash while the others began their trek towards the club, following after Roman. They had engaged in small talk, and if they were nervous they were doing a good job of not showing it.

Much to their annoyance and discomfort, the only person among their team that had a weapon on them was Ren, carefully hiding his automatic pistols in his sleeves. While it wasn't uncommon for hunters or even students to carry weapons around with them in Vale, seeing eight of them armed was a clear sign of commotion. That was something Ozpin and the others had put forth, and for once Roman felt that he agreed with them. Anything beyond what was immediately concealable or misleading was not to be brought. That meant that for RWBY, only Yang and Ruby would have a weapon.

If this was any other time, he would have made his escape already. But that wasn't his objective. His only goal right now was to get closer and closer to Cinder and take her out when the time was right.

Turning the last corner, he spotted Ruby standing outside of an ice cream store, who was quickly joined by her other teammates. Weiss seemed to be off berating her, perhaps for being distracted during their 'field trip'. Yang on the other hand seemed to have no problem with the small distraction, even attempting to walk into the store before her Faunus partner placed a hand on her shoulder.

He felt his eyes squint a little as he drew closer. If he recalled correctly, it looked like they had wore the same outfit the night they fought the Paladin. While he agreed they were stylish, he couldn't help but shake his head at the eyesore. More memories of why he was here instead of back at Cinder's side.

But this would be for the better. Once she was gone, he would rise to the top again.

As he drew closer to the group, Weiss' sharp tone was the first he heard from amidst the city's nightlife. "Look, dolt, if you want the ice cream that bad, we can stop by afterward and I'll _buy_ a cone for you. Right now, though, we need to pay attention. We can't afford to be lax here of all places."

"Can it be a double scoop?" Ruby hopefully pleaded.

"It can be a triple if it means you would just _focus_."

So engrossed was Weiss in her berating that she didn't even realize that Roman was approaching her. With a quick tap on her left shoulder, he passed behind her, causing her to whip her head towards where he was and clearly missing that he had walked by her.

While the rest of Team RWBY seemed to have toned down their exuberance at his sighting, Weiss remained furious. As her teammates fell back towards where Team JNPR was following at, she instead stomped up to his side.

"Don't ever do that again," she seethed.

"Keep it down, would you?" Roman cheerfully replied. "People might think that you're my accomplice."

Her mouth opened to speak, but in the end she bit back her retort, instead crossing her arms and growling.

"You should relax, Miss Weiss."

"Really?" he could feel her glare as he walked, "Because I'm walking through Vale next to a criminal and heading towards an underground information hub. Relaxing is the last thing I have in mind, especially when we're required to watch over you."

"You're going in with the best soldiers Atlas has to offer," Roman formed a grin on his lips, casting a quick glance at Weiss. "I'm sure they'll be more than enough for anything that goes wrong. Besides, I have no intention of ruining this night. That would be counterproductive."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm so _very_ convinced."

The rest of the walk, two more blocks, was passed in silence between the two. He made no move for conversation, while Weiss was perhaps too nervous or spiteful to fill the gap in between them. With the way her ponytail bobbed back and forth, her vision must have been switching between her surroundings and the rest of her team. Even if Roman wasn't around, anyone would have picked out that she was very extraordinarily nervous.

Finally, though, they reached their last checkpoint and the entrance to the club was in sight.

"Ah… Junior's Club," he took another deep breath from his cigar, slowly letting the smoke out from his lips. "It's been a while."

"Any plans on getting in?" Weiss shot him a look.

"Of course," he returned it with a smile. "We go through the front."

"Of all the-" Weiss tilted her head into her palm. "The front? Did you even think this through? This is closer to Yang's level of approaching things."

"It's worked before," the blond brought up. "Twice."

"More importantly, Miss Weiss, it's best to go in with an open agenda. Neutral ground, after all. We're just here for information." With a quick spin, though, he looked at Jaune in the eye and slowly walked towards him, a small grimace on his face.

"Are you wearing an undershirt beneath that, Jauneyboy?"

"N-No, um…" he backpedaled a little as Roman drew closer. "Why?"

He sighed, still not believing that he was about to do this. Matchmaker was not his thing, but if it meant having an easier time getting him and Pyrrha away from him in the future...

"Good." Slowly putting the loop of the cane around his elbow, he reached out to the upper portion of the top and undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt, peeling them just a little wider.

He barely caught Pyrrha's stiff breath as she quickly turned her head away.

Leaning back, he looked at Jaune in the eye again, "Now you look like you actually belong here."

The teen wasn't sure if he should have been thankful or scared, but dumbly nodded all the same. Saying no more, Roman began to walk up the club, staring at the two bouncers dressed in formal black and bits of white with a red tie and black fedora.

They would be barring his entrance. He knew it. Having been off the streets for more than a month with neither hide nor hair seen was a bad sign, especially since his last public notice was getting arrested. And it wasn't just because of suspicion reasons - Junior, for all intents and purposes of being a neutral ground for smaller individuals, might be under a bigger name's influence. That would be a problem.

As he drew closer, his cane gently tapping on the ground as he went, one of them looked up through his red sunglasses and froze.

"Oh shit."

Coming to a stop at the front door, he felt his eyes trace the entrance before looking back at the bouncers. An easy grin spread itself across his face. "Well, aren't you going to let me in?" Roman gestured to the students behind him, particularly Yang, "Blondie and I have a friend to see."

The two quickly shared a glance at the other through their red sunglasses before turning back to him and the group. One of them drew out his scroll, exactly what Roman was looking for.

"Lemme ask the boss."

Watching for when the man put in his password and navigated, he quickly swiped the device from the man's hand. "No need for that - I can tell him myself." Ignoring the man's outcry, he swiped over to the messaging system and punched in a number.

Neo's number - the only one he ever bothered to memorize, and one he never saved on his own scroll. The risk was too high to have it be discovered.

Quickly tapping away at the keyboard, he watched as his message went through.

" _Bring me some of my own cigars, will you? I'm starting to miss my own personal favorites. And keep your hair black from here on out. Ozpin might suspect otherwise."_

Neo would understand the message, as ad hoc as it was. It was cryptic enough that only those who knew him would grasp its meaning, and it wasn't from a scroll that was associated directly with him or the students.

Quickly deleting the message after it was sent, he locked the screen and extended the scroll back to the man. Before he could take it back though, Roman pulled the tablet back towards his body, holding it in front of him in his palm.

"Oh, forgot one last thing."

With a harsh crunch, his fingers crushed the sides of the scroll, causing it to spark and fizzle. "Finish the job, would you Blondie? And don't be afraid to let out some heat." He tossed it back, watching as she caught it. With a wide smirk, she let Ember Celica prime and extend into position. With a signature bang, her fist collided with the rest of the scroll and her round fired, quickly decimating and burning away whatever was left of it.

Evidence erased. Perfect.

Naturally, though, the bouncers were not happy. In a snap, the one who lost his scroll pulled out his gun, a large-framed pistol.

"We could have done this nicely," came his gruff reply. "But I'm okay with this. I've never liked you, after all." Taking quick aim at Roman's head, he squeezed the trigger and fired.

"Looking for this?"

Except there was no gun in his hand anymore. He seemed perplexed at first, eyebrows arched in surprise before fear gripped his face, watching as Roman casually tossed the gun up and down in his hand. He took a quick glance at the gun, seeing that it was a common model. With deft fingers, he removed the magazine and counted out the eight bullets in its clip. Finally, he pulled back the gun's cock and saw the ninth bullet inside.

With a smile, he loaded the gun and spoke. He took a long drag from his cigar and briefly closed his eyes, imagining that orange glow surround his hand and the firearm.

"Let's make a deal. I'll keep the gun..."

With a deft spin around his finger, Roman fired eight shots into his other hand. The bullets dented and were held tightly by his aura while the gunshots briefly rung in his ears. Then he took out his cigar and put the still-smoking barrel into his mouth and pulled again, launching the final shot between his lips. With a lazy toss, he threw the crushed bullets at the feet of the bouncer and then spat out the last one.

"You can have the bullets." He put the cigar back into his mouth. "I figured I'd save you the hassle and shoot myself. Think you can shake on that deal and let us in?"

The men made no move to deny them, only dumbly nodding.

"Good." With a final grin, he pointed the gun at the first man and pulled the trigger.

_Click_

Roman knew it was dry, but he enjoyed the man's squirm anyway. With a triumphant smirk, he threw the gun at the man's feet and turned to his students, who suddenly appeared more on edge than before. Looking at Yang's face, it was that same type of face he saw after he blocked her very first strike - a look of fear and contemplation.

He liked that look.

"Alright, kiddos, let's get this field trip on the road. We're going to go in pairs, with the least conspicuous ones going in first." He pointed at Ren and Nora. "That means you two are heading in first. Follow the plan and set up at your perimeter. Keep an eye on anything that seems suspicious. I'll be dropping by to see how things are going and pick you up before meeting with our objective."

"And what about you?" Ruby shot up. "We're not just going to leave you behind."

"Please, Red," he smiled, "I'm your chaperone here, not the other way around. This is my area of expertise. A gaggle of eight students is bound to draw attention, which will lead to me being seen by those that don't need to see me. Visibility is something we're trying to control here."

That shut her up, though it did nothing to reduce her glowering. But in the end there were no more complaints. About a minute after Nora and Ren entered, he directed Pyrrha, Jaune, Blake, and Yang to enter, leaving just Weiss and Ruby to wait alongside him.

When it was finally time for them to enter, however, Weiss stayed behind. "Give me a moment, Ruby. I want to ask Torchwick something."

Ruby flared up. "No." She stomped her foot, silver eyes clashing against ice blue. "We went over this, Weiss."

The heiress crossed her arms, looking to shoot something back, but partway through her mouth closed and she shook her head. "You're right. We did." He watched a deep breath course through her chest as she looked down at her own feet. "We did."

With a slow turn, her gaze fell onto Roman and she spoke. "When you fire those shots, you did no bodily harm to yourself. Anyone can do that part. But more importantly, the gun itself made no noise when it fired."

"How did you do it?"

Of course Weiss would be the one to ask about that. None of the other students would have the guts to demand an answer. "Just one of the many specialties I'm capable of." He only smiled back, tacking on another lie to throw them off. "Don't worry too much about it though. I expect that you'll probably be able to do the same in due time as well."

He took his cigar out of his lips and gave it a twirl in his fingers. "Oh, and one last thing for you two bouncers."

Pressing the button to open up Melodic Cudgel's loading chamber, he flipped the cigar into it and pointed the barrel at the two men. With another button press, the combustion mechanism instantly flared up and fired, incinerating the cigar and launching a jet of sparks and smoke at the pair.

Any trace of a grin was gone. "That was a warning shot."

* * *

**Intended piece: New Order - Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix)**

* * *

In the end, the perimeters were clean. Being guided by the undercover soldiers, none of the students were able to spot any particularly suspicious activity. Weiss and Ruby, however, were under Roman's tutelage, which meant that he took his time to point out his own twist of things as they walked through and by the dancing crowd.

"That lady over there has had one too many drinks. She won't notice anything if I were to commit something discreet enough in front of her."

"He keeps playing with his scroll. He's either waiting for someone to come by or worse, something to happen."

They were small enough cues that were easy enough to miss or were otherwise deemed as inconsequential. But he saw the opportunities and extreme risks instead of just the usual rabble rousers that the Atlas soldiers seemed to be eying instead.

Still, it was not enough to deter him from continuing the operation. Having gathered all of the students behind him, he approached the bar that was at the back of the room, where he could clearly see the man named Junior. A broad-chested man with trimmed sideburns running into his beard, the only defining trait that seemed to separate him from those who worked in his club was that he lacked the usual black coat, opting for a black vest that revealed his white sleeves.

But he didn't take all of the students with him. Instead, he directed the pairs to mill about near the bar, making sure that they were clearly visible before taking Weiss and Yang with him to the counter. The blonde was an easy pick - he had seen her on the night that Junior's club was apparently trashed. While there was no conclusive evidence shared with him that she was the cause of it all, the eyes and ears of the underworld seemed to describe a blonde pugilist that matched her description. And with her social attitude, it would be easy for her to melt into the crowd at the bar.

Weiss, on the other hand, was selected because of her identity. Anyone that recognized the Schnee heiress was capable of causing a commotion. Pyrrha, while also being a celebrity, had a far more appeasing persona when it came to public relations according to the notes he received. Nora and Jaune's reliability was questionable and Blake was more valuable as an information gatherer with her senses. Finally, Ren and Ruby were armed. If things needed to be discussed in private, then he would have to leave Yang behind and take Weiss with him. Reduced visibility was better in this case, and while unarmed he trusted her to be competent enough to stay safe.

When he announced it, though, Ruby seemed to give him a sharp glare before tapping the handle of Crescent Rose, which was just barely hidden behind her waist and under her red cape. It was a thinly veiled threat for taking both her sister and partner that he had no fear of and ignored. Turning to Yang, he pointed to an open spot.

"Go sit over there. Miss Weiss and I will be on the other end of the bar, and I'll be keeping an ear open to make sure nothing goes out of hand. And remember," he raised his cane and gently tapped the back of her knee, his own little warning, "neutral ground. Don't do anything stupid."

Yang's eyes flickered to an angry crimson before returning to her own natural color. "I don't need you to remind me," she growled. With one last glance around the area, Roman let her take the lead while he and Weiss trailed behind. Taking a seat at the bar stool, she glanced around before leaning back. A little moment later his own footsteps arrived at the far end of the bar and he turned around, keeping an eye on the crowd as he listened for Junior to come by. Weiss hopped onto a stool, keeping her hands in her lap as she warily eyed the surroundings as well.

It was clear that she was uncomfortable, but in the end he didn't have to wait long as he heard a deep and heavy sigh over the din of noise.

"You again, Blondie?" It was a deep voice, it had to be Junior.

"What can I say?" she cheerfully replied. "You never made me my drink. Still remember my order?"

"What are you here for? Looking for another person?"

"Depends. Not in the mood to grab your balls right now."

Weiss seemed to turn pale and grimaced. Roman merely chuckled.

"Right. So what is it now? Still looking for information on Torchwick? Last I've heard he was locked up, but nothing conclusive beyond that. The police are keeping a real tight lip on this one."

This time it was Yang's turn to sigh, as if reminded of why she was here. "It's a long story."

"Well, save it for another day." he sighed. "Melanie, Miltia, show Blondie the door, would you?"

Two pairs of feet move towards Yang, and Roman decided to let her cook under their glare for just a bit longer. She beat them once before, and he was curious as to seeing how she handled the situation. He saw her shoulders rise and fall in a breath, and she idly threw her hair back with a hand. It was a good decision as it showed confidence while also putting her gauntlets on display for the others.

But with their goal of staying in line, it was a bluff at best. "I don't look like it, but I'm here on business."

"Hmph," Junior snorted. "Took you long enough to admit wouldn't be here otherwise. So what are you here for then?"

"I think the best way to describe it," Yang, eventually conceded, "is that I'm here as a confidant."

"Confidant? You?"

Roman figured that now was the best time to intervene. Turning around, he calmly strode to where the four of them were, with Weiss trailing at his side. Looking up at the pair, Junior's jaw fell slack.

"Long time no see, JJ."

The two girls on either side of Yang immediately retreated, moving in front of Junior and putting on an unhappy grimace. "Please, girls," he chided, "that look is unbecoming of you."

Junior clenched his hands and leaned forward across the bar, a second heavy sigh falling from his lips. "How did you get inside here?"

"Easy - through the front. Great pair of bouncers you've hired."

"Roman," the giant of a man's voice rumbled. "You can't be here. I know we've worked together in the past, but you can't be here."

He felt his head tilt to the side. "Oh?" he kept his smile on his lips. "What happened? We used to have such a... _great_ partnership."

"Things have changed, Roman," Junior grumbled. "And for your sake, I don't think you'd want to be here any longer than you need to."

"Hmph. So it looks like the playing field has changed in this past month or so." With a quick spin of his cane, he grasped the middle of it and sat down at the bar. "Why don't you pour yourself a drink? Then you can tell me all about what's happened these past few weeks."

"No. No, it's-" Junior turned left and right, trying to scan the crowd and see anyone out of place, any White Fang or otherwise. He glanced back at Roman. "It's not safe here."

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm very good at protecting myself, JJ."

"Damnit, Roman." Junior put on a scowl and walked towards the sink in the back. "What I'm trying to say is that it's not safe for either of us to meet, not like this at least."

Roman felt his own frown spread across his features. While he wouldn't exactly call Junior his friend, he did offer a valuable service to him. A business partner would be a better way to put it. On more than one occasion did he find himself moving against someone that wanted to cut into the man's share of the town.

Roman was good to the things and people he liked.

"I can protect you, Junior," he looked at the man in the eye, all playfulness gone. "You know what I'm capable of."

Rising to his full height, the man swept a hand through his hair. With one last glance around the club, he grabbed a bottle of hard liquor. "Anyone else with you?"

"Just a colorful bunch of students," Roman turned his arm behind him. "I trust you can gauge which ones they might be."

Junior's gaze swept through the crowd, and he watched as his eyes settled on the remaining three pairs of students. With a quick nod, he turned towards the twins.

"You two keep an eye on this colorful bunch. I've got some business to discuss."

How odd - Junior was keeping his best guards out of their talk. Feeling his head tilt to the side at the gesture, Roman carefully weighed his thoughts. Again, creed determined that he was supposed to enter with less if he was on the asking side. But to see Junior instead order his two most trusted guards to remain outside made him hesitate. It could have been a trap.

But if Cinder's plan had remained the same, the same plan that was expected to engulf the better portion of Vale with Grimm, Junior could have been desperate. The man himself wasn't directly involved with her. At most, he was an information broker that the White Fang used. But as an information broker, and perhaps the best one in the area, there was no doubt that he could have gotten wind of the full plan and wanted his own way out.

"Stay sharp, Miss Weiss. We're going in."

* * *

**Intended piece: Mass Effect 2: Lower Afterlife  
**

* * *

**Feathers, Frills, and Green with Envy**

Nora was a nervous mess. Here she was in a club, watching as other people huddled and danced, trying to keep an eye out on anyone that seemed suspicious. Grimm she could deal with, but people she had some trouble with.

And normally this was fine. Ren was her counterbalance. If he was here, then she could do anything and be all happy and good about it.

Except that right now, in spite of his haplessness, Ren was the problem.

"Sorry, but I'm busy waiting on someone."

He had taken a seat on a couch towards the side of the bar, stating that it was a better spot for a vantage point. But this was not working as he had been approached by several patrons of the club.

In fact, that was the third one that Ren had turned away.

Now, it wasn't really his fault. Far from it. Ren was an attractive male who was still on his way to approaching his prime. It's just that Nora wasn't the only person to pick up on it.

And she was already getting the vibe that Junior's girls had a vested interest as well. They kept switching their gaze from to Ren to her and then back to each other as they quietly giggled.

"Not to be intrusive, but you two seem very lax about all this," Jaune carefully ventured. "Aren't you supposed to be on guard duty?"

The one in the white dress with frills and blue eyeshadow spoke up. " _Please_ ," her city accent seemed to slur her words together a bit. Or was it the alcohol? Did they get to drink on the job? They were at a club after all. "Between us and Blondie, nothing bad is going to happen."

However, she stood up and looked at her sister. "Ready Miltia?"

"Let's go, Melanie." The other in all red rose and took her place by the one in white. As the pair walked, matching pace for pace, they both shot a quick look and a smirk at Nora as they passed by. She felt herself stiffen under their gaze, fully cautious.

And then in full sync, they both took a seat next to Ren.

"So what's a lonely flower like you doing out here?"

Shitshitshitshitshi-

"Surely a bit of company would do you well, no?"

For all his poise and calmness he shared earlier, Ren was at a loss for words, fishmouthing and trying to do his best to not squirm. Nora was confident that he could handle one, but two people was beginning to throw him off. Their hands fell upon his shoulders, with the one in red brushing imaginary dust off his top. And how they spoke changed - gone were the city accents, and in their stead was a smooth, honeyed, and practiced voice.

In a flash, Pyrrha was suddenly at Nora's side, whispering into her ear. "Stay calm, Nora. Remember, neutral ground. Besides, you don't have Magnhild."

Be calm. She clenched her fists and took breaths and thought of calm imagery. Calm. Calm like a flower.

Calm like a flower who was about to be raided by a red and white bee and okay this isn't working, no, nope, nada-

"I uh…" Ren floundered. "I'm okay, really." He shot a quick look at her that screamed for help. "I'm just waiting for someone."

It was the same excuse that he had given the other three who had approached him, except this time it didn't seem to work. "Well," the one in white leaned over, close enough to probably breath on his neck, "in case she's taking too long for your liking, come drop by. We'll let you in and show you a good time."

Pyrrha had grasped Nora's wrist. Jaune had come up to her and was trying to say something to her as well, but her eyes could only stay fixated on the pair. Ren's eyes had gone down towards the side, but she could easily see how the one in red was gauging her reaction.

"Twins are a rare treat," the red one giggled, "Think you can tell us apart in the dark?"

His cheeks went red and he gave a sharp sigh, clearly frustrated by their invitation, but unwilling to give in. Finally, his lips parted, but a finger from the one in white and feathers gently fell upon his lips, silencing him.

"Just think about it."

Then her hand fell to his chest, which was mirrored by her twin, and they both kissed the sides of his cheeks.

Nora didn't even know what happened next. Ren was just sitting there alone, still frozen in place. There were were hands and arms around her torso, clearly trying to do something.

"Nora, no."

She felt mad, but not quite mad. It was strange because she understood mad. Watching Cardin bullying that Faunus girl made her mad.

"Neutral ground. Slow down and breathe!"

She felt scared, but not quite scared. Scared was when she was afraid that something bad would happen, that a future event would cause a loss.

It was only when a clack of heels stopped in front of her that she registered the girl in white in her vision once more. Nora stopped thrashing and shot an angry look at her.

She turned to her twin. "I got this, Miltia."

Pyrrha and Jaune, finally seeing that Nora was starting to come to her senses, cautiously let her go. The girl in front of her spoke.

"You don't look so good in green, so let me give you a warning."

She glanced over at Ren, who just seemed to be recovering and shaking his head a little bit. "We're not homewreckers, but we like what we see. And if you're with Torchwick, I'm sure we'll see each other soon." She turned back to her. "If you two aren't a thing by then, then that's your problem and not ours."

And with that, the red and white twins walked away, back to their spot by the bar. For the first three seconds, she looked at Ren, who was just beginning to recover from the situation, attempting to wipe the white and red lipstick away. She could feel both angry and scared. They were making a move on Ren. _Her_ Ren. But he was also his own person who could let himself be whisked away if he so desired.

And yet in her heart laid another deeper fear, knowing that if she stepped over that line, there was no going back. No more playful games and hugs with hidden meanings. No more dangling between maybes and hopefuls and boops.

But despite her concerns, Nora was nothing if not optimistic. It only took three seconds for her to stomp over to Ren, pull him up by the collar of his shirt, and kiss him.

It was like a moth to a flame, a thirsty beast drawn to water, a storm on a dry desert. Her hands trailed up his neck and gripped the sides of his face, pulling him in, letting her tongue devour his with amateur bravado and excitement. She dug deep, plying for more from him.

It was everything Nora had ever wanted for as long as she realized that this was what she wanted.

When she had to finally pull away in need of breath, her eyes smoldered with something different. Neither could look away from the other, and Ren gulped, having barely recovered from the sudden bout of kisses.

But even as he blinked his surprise away, his gaze was beginning to change as he stared back at Nora, like he had come to accept something.

He licked his bruised lips. She had no doubt that hers was just the same. She leaned in one more time, a heat churning inside her stomach. But before she went for his lips again, she spoke in a low and desperate voice, one that she didn't even know she was capable of or would have ever imagined to come out of her own two lips.

She believed the term was sultry.

"When we get back, I am going to fuck _the pancakes_ out of you."

And somewhere in the back, Melanie and Miltia Malachite shared a high five.


	11. Inside Knowledge

Roman conceded that if Weiss was nervous before, she was probably twice as nervous now. Ever since they had passed through the back doors, she had resumed her guarded stance. While she kept her back straight, her head craned left and right and one of her hands played with the side of her dress. He, on the other hand, was far calmer. While they were still in a dangerous setting, this also wasn't his first time in this part of the club.

As his cane clacked down the hallway, echoing off the black and white walls, Junior led the two past several closed doors before stopping at one with a red star on it. Taking out his scroll, he pressed it against the reader on the side and it slid open.

"Not your usual room for business, JJ," Roman started. "Isn't this your office?"

Where as the club was more black and white, the office itself was professional with a personal touch. There was a wide wooden desk towards the center with chairs at the front, and on the side was a glass cabinet displaying some of the finer alcohols. Warmly lit and with slightly orange walls, it provided a warm atmosphere that clashed against what the club offered.

"It's the only room with no security cameras." The broad man made his way behind his desk and pulled out two small glasses, pausing and taking out a third. "And knowing the toes I may be stepping on I'd rather take no risks." Undoing the cap, he filled two of them before only pouring half a glass in the other. He then took a seat and motioned for the other two to sit.

Waiting until Junior took the first glass, Roman placed his cane across his lap before slowly grabbing one for himself. Raising it to eyes, he took a brief pause before examining it. Clear liquid with no residues, no smell out of the ordinary, and more importantly, Junior had taken the bottle from a public area - the bar - meaning that it was expected to be used for the public. Glancing up, he saw that Junior had already finished his glass and was giving him a stare.

"For god's sake, Roman, it's not poisoned."

He smirked before tilting the drink back and letting the brownish red liquid wash against his throat. "When you have had as many enemies as I have, you always check."

Eying the remaining glass on the desk, he shot an inquisitive glance at Weiss.

She scowled at him. "You're not expecting me to drink that, are you?"

"No, but it was an offer," Junior cut in. "You might be a student, but I know you've been over eighteen for a month."

Her mouth opened a little before her eyes squinted in his direction. "I'm surprised you know my age," she said venomously.

"Seeing that blondie was shaping up to become a regular customer whether I liked it or not, I wanted to know more about her," Junior leaned back in his chair. "That meant knowing as much as I can about both her and her teammates."

"And speaking of teammates," the man turned to Roman. "Care to explain why you're surrounded by a group of students hunters and _the_ Miss Schnee herself? Last I heard you were incarcerated."

He sighed, "In a sense I still am. Where I was once a lying and cheating son of a bitch, I am now a lying and cheating son of a bitch who's doing some inside work for the police." He leaned forward to grab the other glass and downed it.

"Stop drinking, Roman. We have work to do." Weiss piped in.

He mostly ignored her. "I also happen to be a specialized instructor for this 'colorful bunch' as you so put it earlier. I'm here to teach them how to fight underground organizations."

Junior's eyes widened and he moved back into his chair, shooting a careful glance at Weiss. "You're here to bring me in."

"We're not here to bring anyone in, Mister Junior," Weiss spoke up, having grown tired of the smalltalk. While her form was diminutive in comparison to her chair and the man in front of her, her crossed legs and folded hands cut an imposing figure. "We're here to stop whatever is happening in the background. The White Fang are making bigger and bolder moves. And from what's been shared so far is that it's being backed or controlled by another person."

The Schnee heiress looked the man in the eye. "What we need now is information, which something that you can help us with."

Roman felt himself smile. Weiss was the right choice to bring. Junior was scared, and she picked up on the message that she needed to make the first move. It was a little rough on the negotiating, but it would get the job done.

He set the empty glass down, feeling the heat of the drink settle into his stomach. "I said it once and I'll say it again. I can protect you, Junior. You've seen some of the street gangs and kingpins I've crushed. The White Fang is just the same."

"Hmph." Junior scoffed. "Well, you've certainly made it an uphill battle. Not only is there the White Fang and their mysterious backer to deal with, but you're looking at the business end of the largest stockpile of Dust I've ever seen with the weapons to use it." He glared at Roman. "Dust and weapons that you helped steal, mind you."

"And if I recall, about seventy percent of it was to be moved to Mountain Glenn, so it's not all localized here." Roman leaned forward, setting his green eye against Junior's. "That is, unless the orders had changed since I last heard?"

His shoulders rose and fell with a breath and his gaze fell to his desk. Something was scaring Junior from speaking, and Roman needed to figure out what it was. The man should not have ever met Cinder, though he would have most likely had a small run-in with her 'teammates' or other White Fang. He must have seen some sort of display that made him scared. But there were no recent televised events, and it's not like his own guards were absolutely useless, especially the twins.

"You're particularly slow to trust me. Is something wrong?"

"Things have changed since you were taken off the streets, Roman. The White Fang moved in and took over. Everyone thinks you're done."

And suddenly it clicked. Junior didn't doubt his personal abilities in terms of combat. He was concerned for the fact that Roman had little to no known base to work off of. Without a network, protection was just a word at this point.

"... So they think I'm a washed up has-been, do they?"

"You screwed up lots in the past few months." Junior slowly spoke. "I think they looked down upon that and thought you weren't reliable anymore. And though you may have escaped jail once, they didn't think it would be likely to happen again, so they've had free reign, so to speak."

"And they're right - I technically didn't escape." Taking a deep breath, Roman let a smile take over his lips. "Let them think I'm still in there, though you might need to have a word with your two bouncers at the front. After all, the easiest way to defeat your opponents is to let them think you're cornered."

"So… you're really serious about this," the large man breathed. "You're going to stop the White Fang."

"Not without the information you can find and provide, JJ." He stared at the man through his visible eye. "I need two things in terms of facts. I don't expect you to be able to confirm everything, I just need to confirm the basics - the rest will come later."

"First is Mountain Glenn. Last time I was involved, the White Fang had already smuggled a bunch of Dust and weapons to that graveyard. It took a lot of effort to get it there unnoticed, but it would take even more effort to move it again, especially with the Atlesian army floating around in our skies. We need to confirm if any big movers or multiple bullheads, on orders or not, have been through the area. We need to make sure that if anything is moved out of Mountain Glenn, we know about it."

Pausing to take a breath, Roman closed his eyes and thought. He was unsure of Junior's level of involvement. From what he last saw, Junior knew the White Fang was the primary mover, but seemed to lack knowledge beyond that point. But the man had to have an inkling that there were others behind the group. He had a feeling that his next question would result in having to share information with the man. It was knowledge that was already made known to Ozpin, so Weiss would be unable to turn it against him, but he still had to word things carefully.

"And as good as an accomplice Miss Weiss is, I certainly miss my old companion. Would you happen to have a status on her?" Roman took a breath and turned to the girl in white before smiling. "As good as you are, you're not on her caliber. I hope you're not offended."

She huffed and turned away.

The man in front of them closed his eyes and gave a sigh. "So you want an update on Neo?"

"Not just an update," Roman corrected Junior. "I would like to arrange a meeting in secret. Obviously it won't be with me, but with one of my students instead."

"She's a hard person to keep tabs on, Roman. You of all people should know that."

"And that's why we need her. The White Fang, as xenophobic as they can be, know something useful when they see it."

Junior reclined back in his chair, crossing his large arms in front of him. "I still don't know why she's staying with the White Fang. Sure, she's got a useful set of skills, but they carry a strong hate for humans. And considering how you fell off the grid for some time, I don't think she would have stayed with them." He stared back with his black eyes. "Do you think she's being coerced to stay?"

"I have a strong feeling that is the case. She is entirely capable of escaping on her own. If she is not being coerced to stay, then that would imply that they offered something very valuable to her." He felt his eyes narrow. "And if things haven't changed much since when I last worked with her, there are few things more valuable than what I can offer."

Juniors brow furrowed. "Even when you have nothing now?"

"Hmph." Roman laid a hand on his cane. " _Especially_ now that I have nothing."

It wasn't the whole truth, but it would be enough to get the job done.

"Excuse me." He turned to the left to see Weiss with her hand against her chin. "This… Neo character. I've been told that she is the person who we will be getting in contact with but I know nothing beyond that. Who is she, and what makes her so valuable?"

He smiled at her. "The best way to put it is that she is like a chameleon. While she can't change her body structure, she is able to change her hair and eye color. With some makeup and the proper outfit, you'd never be able to pick her out of a lineup if you went by looks alone."

Weiss' hand fell to her lap and her gaze grew sharp with a frown forming on her lips. "That sounds like someone we shouldn't be letting you get in contact with."

He chuckled, "Are you doubting me, Miss Weiss?"

"Always."

Roman closed his eyes, knowing full well what her answer would be before he even asked her. It was in Weiss' nature to hold him in high suspicion. But providing her a false lead that was too obvious was dangerous, yet giving fully truthful information was detrimental. Half-truths and shrouded imagery was working so far, but even that had its limitations.

But the difference here was that he knew what drove her. In that pitch black room, where the two met and spoke, she had revealed at least one portion of her desires - to protect the company she would inherit. Practicality. Weiss, on the other hand, only knew that he wanted some form of revenge.

With quick wave, Roman brushed away her protests. He would get to addressing that later. "Nonetheless, JJ, will you be able to arrange a meeting between us? Once we are in contact with Neo, we'll be able to confer with her and see if there have been any major changes in the operations at Mountain Glenn."

Junior brushed a hand against the side of his face. "How soon are you looking to meet up?"

"Within a week if possible. While we know the general idea of what is supposed to happen, we don't know when it is to begin and if anything has changed. Once we do, we can go and start to plan our own countermeasures, maybe even force their hand."

"Sound like a good plan to you?"

"... And my protection?"

Roman felt his lips curl. "You could say you've already got it. The Atlesian Military has already been keeping an eye around your bar and watching any traffic for suspicious activity. They've also got some disguised soldiers in your club already for tonight. I'm sure we can arrange for some to be in here every night if that's what you wish."

"Hmph." Junior picked up the bottle and poured a little more for himself. "I was hoping for something more than just that."

"Like I said, if you can pretend everything is exactly the same and that I'm still in jail, I'm sure nothing bad will happen. I can't be seen around you after all, at least not yet."

Staring at the shot he poured himself, the man grimaced and drank it. "... And what about after this is all done? How will I know that all this," he gestured to the room around him, "will remain the same after the White Fang is dealt with?"

Roman felt his shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath. "That is hard for me to say. It is possible that the police may ask you to cease and desist with your club. They may also turn to you for information should the operation be successful enough."

Leaning forward, he set the glass down. "There is the chance that you could also be incarcerated for your links to the underground and whatever is allowed in here. However, similar to now I would imagine that they would view you as a resource rather than a criminal. It remains to be seen on what they will do."

Looking back up into Junior, he continued. "I imagine, however, that it would be far better to be with the authorities than to be at the mercy of the White Fang."

It wasn't a threat to the man - only laying out the other option that was available to him, one that Junior quickly dismissed. "Alright then. I'll see what I can arrange."

"Excellent." Roman smiled. "I've always appreciated working with you. And who knows. If worst comes to worst and Vale is under siege, the police might appreciate you loaning out your men and the twins. This is your part of town, after all."

"Now then, one last thing Junior." He felt his head tilt forward just a little bit. "Got any ice cream, or am I going to have to rob a truck for some?"

"Ice cream?" Weiss shot in. "Torchwick, we don't have time for that. We still have to bring you to the extraction point."

"And you have a deal to uphold, don't you?"

Weiss opened her mouth to speak, but any comment was bit back by a sharp scowl and she brought a hand to her temple. She looked up at Junior.

"Got anything with cookies in it?"

* * *

By the time the students had stepped out into the fresh night air, Ruby's little snack was already completed. While the rest of the group followed behind Roman, Weiss found herself stepping away by his sides with a forward glare. No words were shared between the two, but she could tell that much like her, the man was deep in thought. He had revealed no information that she wasn't already familiar with as they were briefed in regards Mountain Glenn, but many particular questions arose for her.

And in the end, Junior wasn't even able to confirm much new information, if at all. At most he received orders from Roman to watch for any types of heavy lifting machinery heading in that direction and to establish a line of connection with this Neo character. It was true that this was to be the expected outcome, but she had the feeling that Roman was once again hiding things from her.

The field trip, however, was certainly better than sitting in a lecture hall and watching the man spout forth criminal basics. She could read a book about that if she really wanted. While he upheld his promise about more substantial lessons, it was only the tip of the iceberg for Weiss.

"You did well back there."

Roman's voice snapped her from her thoughts. "I wasn't sure if you had it in you, but I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed."

Weiss huffed in return. "It wasn't particularly difficult. All I did was use the trust the man had in you to say what needed to be said."

He chuckled in response. "Still, you spoke calmly and with poise - very different compared to how Blondie seemed to approach the issue with blunt force."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure those two bouncers at the front of the club share the exact same sentiment towards you."

If Roman was bothered by her comment, he made no move to show it. In fact, judging by how he sounded, his smile had only grown. "I daresay you're much more like me than I expected. You know how to get results. And while we weren't in a boiler room, you work and react well under pressure."

Her shoulders rose and fell with a sharp breath. Again with the comparison. "You mentioned that we don't have too many differences between us." Better to state it as a lack of differences than multiple similarities, Weiss decided. "Care to go over what you mean? Because I'd like to try and pick it apart in as many ways as I possibly can."

He clicked his tongue. "That would ruin the fun." His cane came to a pause as they reached the last checkpoint, where four Atlas soldiers were in disguise at a late-night eatery. They would be parting ways here. "But I suppose I can spare you just one."

Glancing down from his shoulder, she looked into his single eye. "We both enjoy being at the top. We just have different ways of getting there."

"Oh, and one last thing, Miss Weiss," with a quick tug of his hat, he resumed his walk before Weiss could respond. The guards stood from their spot, quickly disposing of any foodstuffs they had before moving to follow after him.

"Lovely dress."

She crossed her arms, knowing full well what he was pushing at. A part of her wanted to shout at the man from where she stood, but with the company she was with - the other students and the guards - she felt her mouth clamp shut.

Besides, his comment about her peers begged further contemplation. Weiss didn't deny that there were times where she felt she was above her teammates. Those moments, however, were coming less and less often as she found herself roped into more activities. Each of them had so far shown that they valued similar core aspects that she valued.

But she couldn't deny that she had her own competitive streak. She enjoyed winning. She enjoyed coming out on top, and certainly enjoyed a good gloat every now and then.

So why would Roman point that out as a similarity between the two of them? Everyone certainly enjoyed winning to some extent. She may have been a sore loser at times, but only when warranted.

As the rest of the students caught up to her, Weiss shook the thought away from her head. Both of them. While it wasn't in the form that she would have liked, the criminal had upheld his part of the bargain. He had not only showed them a portion the underworld, but he had given Ruby and her his firsthand teaching in regards to examining a crowd. It held applicable value, though how useful would remain to be seen.

"So, mission complete!" Yang started, quickly drawing Weiss back to the group. "What now?"

"Well, not quite." Pyrrha took out her scroll and glanced at the screen. "We still have to get to our own extraction point, and then we're supposed to be debriefed tomorrow."

"How much time before we need to get to our point?"

"About fifteen minutes," Pyrrha replied.

The blonde let out a frustrated growl. "But it's Friday night! It's not even ten!"

"We should head back though, Yang," Blake replied. "We're going to need to be ready for our debriefing. It might help if we write down some facts on what happened tonight."

Yang gave a resigned sigh. But before she could speak, a small hand clutched Weiss' and the heiress looked to see that it belonged to Ruby.

"Pyrrha, you said fifteen minutes?"

"About."

"And the extraction is just three blocks from here, right?"

The redhead responded with a quick nod. Her leader's face brightened.

"That's more than enough time. Come on, Weiss!"

Suddenly, she found herself being dragged along past bystanders and other citizens who remained out at night.

"Ruby, what-"

"You go on ahead! We'll meet you all there!"

Weiss had tried to call out to Ruby to ask her what she was doing, but it was to no avail - her leader had remained steadfast in her path towards somewhere, as if her words and complaints held no impact on her. A quick turn here followed by a twist there meant that she had lost any sense of direction that her teammate was leading her from. But finally, after a second wrong turn, the two of them came to a stop outside a store.

Without a second thought Ruby jumped at the handle and pulled, only to hear a sharp click. Glancing up, Weiss looked at the store and realized that it was the ice cream parlor that they had passed by earlier.

And it was closed.

Blue eyes turned to meet ones of soft silver. Shimmery, upturned, and about-to-cry silver.

Weiss gave a sharp scowl, already knowing what her leader was wanting. She crossed her arms in disbelief. "I _just_ got you free ice cream. How could you want more?"

"But you said you would buy me sooome!"

"Ruby, it's _just_ ice cream!"


	12. Knowing Too Much

Sitting down and staying still was not working for Weiss. Arms folded across her chest, she found herself slowly pacing from one corner of the room to the next or staring out the tall windows. As the minutes ticked by loudly in Ozpin's office, her eyes continually flashed towards the door that the rest of their makeshift team had been going in and out of. Behind it was where Blake and Yang were being debriefed for their part of the mission.

So far, everything had seemed standard for what she assumed was the equivalent of a military operation. Briefing, mission, debriefing. JNPR, particularly Nora to her surprise, volunteered to go first, dragging Ren along with her.

In ten minutes they were back out, Nora once more pulling the boy and saying something about "no more delaying" and mashing what Weiss assumed was the close door button on the elevator. This led to Jaune and Pyrrha entering next and then Blake and Yang, ultimately leaving Weiss and her partner out to fend for themselves in the room.

Ruby, however, didn't seem to share the same conundrum, instead devouring cookie after cookie that the headmaster had left out for them.

With a sigh, she looked over just in time to see Ruby lift her head up from eyeing the single remaining piece on the plate. Silver eyes darted down again before looking up to clash against hers of ice blue with a conflicted look.

"Did… Did you want the last one?"

Weiss felt her eyes roll before clicking her tongue. "Really, Ruby?"

"Well… It's just that you haven't had one yet."

She briefly wondered if it was out of forced courtesy that the girl asked. She had made no move towards the plate of confectionaries during their entire time here so far, instead opting to calmly sip away at the coffee she was provided. Perhaps her partner picked up on it.

"If I had wanted a cookie I would have taken one already. You may have it."

Ruby glanced down at the lone snack and then back up at Weiss, having not fully bought her response. "Are you sure?"

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours Weiss scowled at Ruby again. "I don't see how you haven't gotten sick from eating all those cookies and sweets. So instead of chancing it all, I'm more inclined as your partner to throw away the last piece than eat it myself. So yes, I'm very sure that I don't want it."

With a quick eep and a scandalized look, Ruby quickly shoved the last piece into her mouth. At least she chewed with her mouth closed, Weiss thought to herself. But before she was able to scold her any further, the door opened to reveal Blake and Yang.

"You're up," the blonde called out, and with no more than a nod the two of them entered the room. Inside were two chairs placed in front of a table and across from them was the headmaster, Glynda Goodwitch, and a man that matched a description Weiss had heard only in passing from her sister.

She blinked in surprise. "Are you perhaps General Ironwood?"

"Hmm," the man leaned back in his chair a little before smiling. "I presume you heard of me through Winter?"

"A little. I've been been told good things about you."

The man gave a wistful but brief sigh. "I hope she hasn't overplayed anything. I'm just a person trying to keep others safe."

"As we all are," Ozpin said, giving a small nod. "You'll have to forgive us for the wait. While it would be less time consuming if we were to have you be debriefed in a one-on-one setting, we felt that it would be easier to notice particular details if we interviewed you as pairs."

"Based on what has been shared by the others in the team, after Roman's particular display in front of the club, which included sending a message through the bouncer's scroll and then having Yang destroy it, he had the team enter in pairs to check out the club and make sure it was free of White Fang or other dangers. After entering, he took Yang and Weiss to the bar, where they established contact with the owner, Junior. From there," Ozpin glanced at Weiss, "Junior, you, and Roman proceeded to move to the back and discuss the information deal. After that, you two left and began to proceed to the extraction point."

"Would you agree that this is a general description of your operation yesterday?"

Ruby quickly nodded. "That was the gist of it. Weiss and I were the last to go in, although we asked about how he was able to remove the sound from the gunshots."

"That's right." Weiss gave a quick nod before looking at Ozpin. "I have never seen that done before. I understand the concept of a firearm with a suppressant, but the gun that Roman had obtained did not have one attached."

Ozpin remained passive as he heard this, only sipping his coffee. However, his brow furrowed a tiny bit, shooting a quick glance at the general. Whatever it was that they had in mind, it was clear that it was currently off the table for now, making Weiss shift uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't appreciate the lack of communication.

"And what was his response?" Glynda asked, unfazed by the glance her companions shared.

"... He said that it was one of his specialties," she cautiously worded, "and that he expected me to eventually be able to do the same."

Ironwood took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. He turned to face the headmaster. "Ozpin-"

"I know, James." The man stood up and moved towards the tall windows, feet falling in time with the gears ticking above him. "I know."

"Um…" Ruby began, "Is something wrong?"

The general gave a frustrated sigh. "It's nothing beyond the standard risks we were expecting. Please, continue with your description. After you-"

Much to her own surprise, Weiss felt her own voice rising in the back of her throat. "I don't want to be kept in the dark." Her blue eyes settled on the general. She didn't expect herself to speak out. Maybe it was all the stress from wondering about Roman. But now that she had begun she couldn't stop. "We know that this is a cat and mouse game to bring Torchwick's co-conspirators into custody. I know that you're in charge of this operation at the end of the day, but I want to know what you know."

The general gave a wry smile. "Just like your sister." His mouth opened again to speak, but Ozpin cut him off once more.

"Miss Schnee, I want to very clearly state that it is not our intention to withhold information. But you also have to understand that Roman is as much as a mystery as he is a criminal. He wants something out of all this - something that is beyond what is stated in the original agreement."

He turned away from the glass and slowly strode to his desk before letting his gaze fall upon her, his cane clacking in tune with the gears of the room as he moved. "But we don't know what that is. If he wanted to escape, he had the perfect opportunity to try it last night. There were more than a few openings where we made it look like he could escape. Yet he took none of those paths, nor did it even seem like he examined them. Yesterday night, we have reason to believe that Roman had a one-track mind. He didn't act like a man at a crossroads. Rather, it was as if he knew that his motives coincided with what we wanted."

"Or worse, that our motives coincided with what he wanted."

The color drained from Weiss' face, and she let her lips curl into a thin frown. "You don't know who's really running the ship."

"That, unfortunately, is not far from the truth at times," the general spoke up. "It's is certainly not ideal, but at the same time we know that he will lead us to what we want, and it is a risk worth taking at this current time. I know you have as many questions as we do, but first we ask for your cooperation. After that we will do our best to answer your questions, barring that there is nothing that breaks confidentiality."

"I hope that this will suffice."

She huffed and turned her head away. "I suppose I don't have a choice."

The general gave a nod to Glynda. "Please, continue." She nodded in return and glanced at her notes from the other debriefings.

"After you entered the club, we understand that the disguised soldiers offered the other team members tips and information about scouting through crowds and picking out individuals. Did Roman offer the same for you as well?"

Ruby nodded, though a bit subdued compared to her previous countenance. "More or less. I don't think it was any much more different than what the others would have received, though Roman put his own spin on it at times, like pickpocketing."

The blonde teacher nodded. "Understandable. Now the next part involved Yang and Weiss. He had Yang attract Junior's attention before unveiling himself. In which then you and Roman entered the back and had what I assume was a conversation. Please tell us more about what happened at that time."

Weiss gave a curt nod, doing her best to push down the uneasiness with not knowing what the others had privy to. "We conducted the meeting in Junior's office. He stated that it was because it was the only place without cameras, and that he was taking no risks at this time. As we talked, he served us a drink and Roman explained why he was outside of prison, and we clarified that we were here to bring down Roman's colleagues."

"Before Junior agreed, though, he was worried about safety. Torchwick advised that he could offer his services, but the man was hesitant to agree, eventually stating that anything Roman had was taken over by the White Fang. Aside from that, we were able to have Junior begin to monitor Mountain Glenn and help establish a meeting with this Neo character."

Ironwood leaned in again. "Tell us more about how Junior was during your conversation. How was he moving? Did he seem jumpy?"

She closed her eyes, thinking back to how she first met him. "... He seemed surprised that we were at the bar. Torchwick said that he sent a message through the bouncer's scroll, but… somehow I'm doubting if that really was the case. And with the scroll broken I'm unsure if we are able to trace that."

Glynda huffed. "A possibility. Anything else to share regarding the meeting?"

To this Weiss shook her head, and she continued. "Very well then. Upon leaving the club, you were described to be walking side by side with Torchwick and engaged in conversation. The rest of the group had hung back." With a quick glance to the side, she addressed the other girl. "Ruby, were you able to hear any part of the conversation?"

She gave a nervous chuckle. "I… unfortunately didn't. There was a lot of background noise and I wasn't able to follow it very well."

Weiss bit her tongue. No doubt she was too busy thinking about her ice cream treat. Something she was still beholden to provide, according to her leader.

"Very well then. Weiss, could you shed some light on what happened?"

To this, she felt her hands begin to wring the sides of her dress. She clenched her jaw and told herself to stop. "He said he was impressed with how I handled the meeting with Junior. He knew I was under pressure yet I performed well. And…" her mouth floundered, opening and closing, struggling to speak.

But finally she found her voice. "Torchwick said that there were few differences between him and I. That we both enjoy being at the top, but simply have different ways of getting there. And before he left… he said..."

Weiss' voice died away again. She knew what he was pushing at with his final line that night. He was looking to build upon the tension he set from when he interviewed her, to push doubt and questions into her mind.

And she knew that he had taken a risk that didn't pay out in the end. Her jaw became firm again, and she opened her mouth to speak.

"'Lovely dress'."

A loud clack cut her off. Ozpin had set his mug down on his desk and was once again moving to stare out the window over Beacon Academy. He looked over his shoulder at Weiss. "One of the soldiers told me Roman said this to you. Am I correct?"

She nodded very cautiously. Ironwood and Glynda seemed mostly passive, though the general moved to give the headmaster a pensive look. Ruby bit her lip, shooting a concerned look at Weiss before eventually forming a determined frown. "Weiss… Is Torchwick… if he's-" she shook her head, as if trying to clear her thoughts. "If Torchwick is-"

"You must forgive me for interrupting you, Miss Rose."

The headmaster's voice cut her off, and the pair turned to him as he looked out the window again, hiding his face. "I know that I had just advised that our goal was not to withhold information. After the briefing, we were to share information about Roman, specifically with regards to his handling of the firearm. At this point, however, I wish to speak privately with your partner, Miss Schnee. General Ironwood and Professor Goodwitch will share-"

"No!" Rose cried, a rare showing of angled eyes and sharp frown. "If Torchwick is trying to do what I think he's doing to Weiss, if he's trying to somehow... " she struggled to form words, as if the very thought of what was going on disgusted her. Her hands balled, her lips pulled back to clenched teeth, " _Co-mingle_ with her, then as the leader of RWBY I need to know this so I can do something about it. I won't just stand here and let him get away with harassing my partner like that!"

All Weiss had ever seen Headmaster Ozpin display in terms of countenance was having high expectations and the immeasurable patience that arose to foster those who hadn't reached them yet. So when he lifted his cane a tiny bit before letting it fall to the ground with a heavy pound, Weiss suddenly felt nervous. Ruby shared the same sentiment - any anger she had quickly simmered down in the face of Ozpin's controlled outburst.

Right before the man spoke, Weiss realized that the ever-turning gears had stopped.

"I am sorry, Miss Rose." He took a deep breath. "I appreciate the concern you show for your teammate, but this is not up for discussion. Afterward, she may share our conversation with you at her discretion." Looking towards his colleagues in the room, he gave a small nod. "James, Glynda, please take Miss Rose and discuss what we planned to share with her. I will handle the remainder the discussion with Miss Schnee here in private."

Without further interaction, the general and professor rose to their feet and beckoned Ruby to follow after them. But as Weiss watched her partner, she could see that Ozpin's words were like a slap in the face. She bit her lip, her eyes scrunched shut for a moment, her hands balled and clenched.

When her blue eyes met Ruby's soft silver, Weiss was looking at a girl who felt like she had failed.

"I'll be fine, Ruby." Weiss' voice had become soft, surprising even her. "We can talk after this. Maybe not immediately afterward, but we'll talk." She did her best to sound reassuring, but the younger girl instead ducked her head and turned to leave.

And when the door finally shut, Weiss was alone with Ozpin. His head glanced down at his feet before turning to walk back to the table and sitting down in front of her, swiping his mug as he passed by it. "So, we're alone now," she did her best to sound neutral. "What would you like to discuss with me?"

"What to discuss, indeed," he said after a small pause. "I suppose we'll start with what we shared with the other members of this team. Sound manipulation, while possible, is not precise when it comes to a live firearm. There are three identified components that creates sound when a gun is fired. There is the muzzle blast itself, the sonic boom generated by the projectile, and the mechanical aspects of the gun. While these three components can be suppressed in some way by mechanism or design, we have not gotten to the point where a gunshot can be entirely removed while remaining practical for live use."

"Now, given your description, the gun Roman had was perhaps a standard issue with basic modifications. I highly doubt that it would have suppressant abilities on its own." Ozpin narrowed his eyes every so slightly. "Can you confirm that?"

To this Weiss nodded. "As I mentioned, Torchwick described this as a specialty of his, though he expected me to be able to do the same."

The man in front of her let out a slow breath. "Miss Schnee, sound manipulation is not a common skill among huntsmen and huntresses for many reasons. While it can serve with stealth in certain settings, its combat uses have been limited for the general hunter. Sound travels in waves, and how it is reflected depends on the material it is reflecting from. At most, it has only been recorded that some users have been able to channel it in a short and narrow cone, either creating a difficult-to-pass wall, or compacting it and pushing the waves to a range before letting it unleash like a grenade."

"What you are describing sounds like absolute control over how sound is perceived, something we haven't seen or heard of before, and neither do we expect it to be simply replicated with practice."

"Are you sure?" Weiss almost winced at her own concerned voice. "We're talking about manipulating one of the five senses of the body in the most visceral way possible."

"Think back to when he pulled the trigger on himself, Miss Schnee. No one within the near vicinity was affected, and neither was local security notified of the gunshots." Realization dawned upon her, and her mind began to trail to other times that he could have manipulated sound. But every moment seemed to have the nearby guards reacting to what he said.

Was this just a slip-up from him?

"If you feel that there were other times that this could have occurred, please notify us immediately. Remember that Roman is still an enigma - for every answer we have about him, another question takes its hold in our mind. We have advised your team as such, so they are aware of this as well. The additional vigilance, however, will be helpful."

"... Understood," she solemnly nodded, mind still churning from what was shared with her.

"Now, I want to bring up the second reason why I have separated you from your partner." Ozpin looked Weiss in the eye and she suddenly felt small in his presence.

"As you know, we have been monitoring Roman closely, and we have come to the conclusion that he has…" he frowned and thought to himself for a moment. "Perhaps the best way to say it is that he has taken an interest in you."

She felt her fingers curl in annoyance. "More or less. He seems more animated in my presence compared to that of the others."

"Regardless, Miss Schnee, I would recommend that you do your best to keep the relationship one that is strictly business." He took a sip from his mug before glancing at Weiss. "He is a particularly dangerous person."

As someone who had always been seen as benevolent across the campus, hearing a direct warning in regards to an individual was another thing Weiss had not expected. "You seem to be familiar with his character," she said almost too pointedly. She spoke again, hoping that she she hadn't sounded rude, "I mean, you were his headmaster at one point, right?"

Ozpin leaned back in his chair, setting his coffee mug down on the table again. "I don't recall sharing that with you, nor is it a well known fact," he slowly said. "Might I inquire how you know that?"

Shit.

Her mouth opened and closed in a rare moment of being caught off guard. "We- the team and I, after one of his lectures, we had a feeling that he wasn't really giving us what we were looking for. And so we started to look him up and-"

A low chuckle and a simple smile permeated his face, and her babbling stopped. "Miss Schnee, there is nothing wrong with curiosity. It is a natural reaction when we don't know what something is and we are in a safe position in regards to it. We are curious as to the nature of a tiger when it is safely behind bars. We would rather stay away from one if we were out in the wild."

"Unfortunately, what we are dealing with here is far from an animal in a zoo. We are dealing with a person that has proven himself to be more lethal than almost any Grimm can be." He lifted his mug up again. "With that in mind, I did say that I would answer your questions regarding Roman to the best of my ability and, as mentioned before, that doesn't break confidentiality. Now would a good time for us to discuss that."

_Ask a question, get an answer. It's a simple concept, wouldn't you agree?_

Roman's quip echoed in the back of her mind, and she shook it away. Focus. Taking a breath, her lips parted to speak. The first question was an easy one.

"Why is there nothing on Torchwick older than about six years ago?" She found herself leaning in just a little, waiting to hear his response. "This man wasn't born yesterday - he has to have some sort of history."

"An astute observation, Miss Schnee," Ozpin said, leaning back as he gave her the compliment. "About six years ago was when Roman was first noticed as a criminal. Since then we have been tracking his activities closely, especially when he would disappear for some time only to be seen getting away with something even bigger than the last time."

"But to really understand why we have nothing older than that point, we must return to what he did upon graduating from Beacon. After roughly a year of doing hunter jobs, he took on one final task and disappeared. While a tragedy, post-graduation is the most dangerous time period for huntsmen and huntresses - as they are on their own and possibly overconfident, a sizable percentage are killed in action each year. It is a particular nature of the role that we have come to accept, and at the time Roman was assumed to have fallen to such a fate."

"It is during this time that we assume he had a hand in removing his data from public databases. Since he was assumed to be dead, no one was watching over his information. And with a good hacker, very few things are truly safe. Public records, birth and death certificates, any licenses, everything digital was gone, and paper copies had somehow gone missing. Eventually a physical location was traced from the IP packets, but when the authorities arrived, only an unidentifiable body remained. We could not even confirm if it was the body of the hacker or if it was a body planted there. Since then we have been carefully monitoring information about Roman as well as storing as much physical information as possible in a private vault."

Weiss nodded as Ozpin continued, keeping in mind that the end conclusion was only an assumption based on knowledge that they had. But as she thought about it more and more, if Roman was such a dangerous individual, was removing his information from databases truly necessary? Was there something he was afraid of people knowing?

"Tell me more about who Roman is as a person. What is he like? What is his character? How did he interact with his teammates?"

There was a pause as Ozpin stared into his coffee mug. Finally, his chest rose and fell in a deep sigh. "That is not an easy question to answer. And you seem adamant in thinking that I know him on a more personal level. What makes you feel that way?"

This time it was her turn to take a deep breath. Reaching to take out her scroll, she swiped and returned to the article that Nora had stumbled upon in the library. She had pored over it more than once, but found that it provided nothing about Roman besides how he was a near prodigy in his skills and knowledge. Focusing the screen on the picture, she placed it on the table and let the image be projected from it.

Ozpin remained impassive as he stared at the young Roman Torchwick.

"You'll have to forgive me if I sound too forward, professor," she cautiously said, "but at the same time this was one of the things we found. It's an image of the two of you shaking hands. Since you're the only one here with a known relationship to Torchwick that started prior to his disappearance, you're the only one I can ask in regards to his personality."

"I can see how you've drawn the connection," he concluded. "But you forget that I am a headmaster - not a professor. I interacted with him far less than what you are perhaps hoping for. Still, as he was accepted to Beacon Academy under such prestige, I kept a watchful eye on him. He soon began to accumulate combat accolades, both against Grimm and in the ring against fellow students, eventually defeating those above him in year. In addition, he was studious and took his education here seriously - not unlike you in that regard. He was driven to succeed."

Weiss blinked and pretended she didn't hear that. Ozpin hadn't seemed to notice her reaction, however, and continued.

"Had he remained on that particular path, I do not doubt that he could have been a potential candidate to my successor. He was everything I had wanted to see in a master huntsman. But as I continued to watch over him, it became clear that for whatever reason Roman had difficulty trusting his team outside of academics and missions. He was as strong as he was mysterious. He would be described as antisocial, but it was easy to see that he was also studying how others communicated with each other. He was averse to interacting with others, but also knew the importance behind associating with others. Roman is dangerous because he does not have the humane connection that comes with building relations with others, yet he knows how to effectively communicate with another person. Though he has been seen to show some levels of having a conscience, he is effectively a sociopath."

Ozpin tilted his head forward, pushing up his glasses. "I have only been able to attribute this particular facet to paranoia. He was not afraid of others, but rather afraid of something happening to him, and so he places his own success ahead of anything else. We even see it in how his weapon, Melodic Cudgel, changed throughout his time at Beacon. While its original design was a simple reinforced cane, it was taken apart and reassembled multiple times, adding chambers and improving its structural strength. It was clear that it was designed to withstand as many trials as he could think of."

"And his semblance?" Weiss stuck out. "With what you've shared about his combat experience, he has to have one. What is it?"

There was a brief silence before Ozpin spoke. "I do not doubt that. But he has never openly revealed what it was. In every combat situation, it was never observed." The professor locked eyes with her cautious visage. "What you shared earlier about his ability to manipulate sound may actually be the first time it has been recorded. But even then that may only be a portion of what it really is."

"So... " she couldn't help the incredulousness in her voice. "You're saying that Roman rose to the top during his time at Beacon on pure skill alone?"

"That would be correct. It was clear that he was very talented in manipulating his aura. I recalled one of his matches and how he was fluid, never wasting movement. But at the same time he never openly revealed what his semblance was. It is possible he showed it to his teammates, but requested that they not share what it was to others."

"And where are those teammates now?" Weiss quickly asked. But as soon as she saw his eyes blink and fall to his mug, she regretted the question.

"They have all disappeared." He said it like it was a personal loss and with regret, as if it could have been preventable. "During the time when Roman was assumed missing and dead, his teammates began to disappear as well. At first we thought it was a rivalry gone sour. But once he turned up again, it became suspected that their disappearance was not by chance."

"They knew something about Roman, and we believe that because of this knowledge they were killed."

"I'm…" Weiss floundered at her words. "I'm sorry that I dragged that out of you. I hadn't… I didn't-"

"It is alright, Miss Schnee, though I hope I have satiated your curiosity in the meantime." Ozpin rose to his feet, taking his mug with him. "I am open to having another discussion about Roman, though I would warn against it. Perhaps it is too late to say this, considering all of your questions, but be careful when you interact with him."

As he approached the glass wall, his voice seemed somber and fraught with concern, yet also resigned. "Roman H. L. Torchwick is not someone you want inside your head."

Weiss knew that the conversation was over at this point. Standing from the chair, she pocketed her scroll. But with his last line, she found one more question burning in the back of her mind and she spoke.

"You've said his full name twice now. What does the middle part stand for?"

There was a small pause, as Ozpin took another sip of coffee.

"Hannibal Lector."


	13. Deceit

As requested, Junior was able to arrange a meeting between Neo and the team. The opportunity was also made to help set up and run an information exchange operation - the students would establish a perimeter of sorts, and then one of them would hand over a letter to Neo. Later, after some time had passed, a second exchange would be made where they would gather her response.

This also created an opportunity for the team of eight to formulate a plan on how they would handle the logistics of the operation. They had to take into account their own specialties as well as what the enemy knew about them. If the White Fang knew that Neo had brushed shoulders with Ruby or Blake, for example, suspicion would skyrocket and that risked throwing everything out the window.

While the details were still being worked out, Roman knew that Jaune would be the one handing over the letter, at the very least. He was plain and tall while having a relatively clean background. Pyrrha was a world-known celebrity and Team RWBY was too high-profile since the night the Paladin was destroyed. Ren stood out just a little too much as an uncommon figure, and his pink strand of hair didn't help in that regard. And Nora was simply too rambunctious to be responsible for the actual hand-off.

The other roles were still being determined, something that Ruby and Jaune would be working on together. They did not expect the operation to be particularly dangerous, but Ironwood suggested that no opportunity for training should be passed up, and that this was a prime opportunity to begin working on their teamwork as an eight-person squad. So while they wouldn't receive direct military support while on the field unless under dire need, the eight of them were able to sit and receive additional hands-on training about operations-building. It looked like Ozpin's goal of training a team of student hunters to fight criminals was beginning to take shape.

Meanwhile, since he knew the grounds of the operations in Mountain Glenn and because she likely wouldn't take a letter from another person seriously, he would be the one to write the letter and questions to her. By this point he had shared that the general plan was to utilize the old railway system to deliver an explosive payload towards Vale. It would detonate along the way, attracting large amounts of Grimm before finally colliding and creating a breach from within the city. As soon as they could confirm that this was still the case, then they would be able to begin the next leg of the operation - how to fight back.

There was only one slight problem. Neo would not be able to rendezvous with them until Thursday. This meant that Roman had to prepare another lecture for the students.

Now after several lectures, he had grown used to the idea of seeing the group of students once a week, with each time in a different classroom on a different day and time. Making the lectures wasn't very difficult either. Before it was all still showing examples and explaining the thought that went behind the act. But now that they had begun to see live action, he imagined that they would want to see more and more, which meant that Roman needed start thinking about what to share. So much of the criminal world was about knowledge - just knowing what the choice words were for a gang meant so much.

Which ultimately led him to the particular lecture choice he wanted to share today. Roman knew it wasn't a pretty choice, but at the same time he understood that sooner or later this was going to be on the table.

But just because he knew it was a conversation they were going to have didn't mean he should act like he knew and was planning for it since day one.

The first thing he did when he entered the empty lecture hall under the supervision of the guards was light a cigar. Waiting for the students to file in, he glanced at the clock, counted the tiles on the floor, and cautiously smoked, letting his 'nervousness' be apparent as he paced across the front. And for good measure, after some of the students filed in he finished his first cigar and lit up a second one.

Then with one final glance at the students and then the clock, he took one last puff of his cigar before throwing it away. "I suppose there's no real easy way for me to say this. So in the end, I think I'm just going to say it."

"Deceit."

The students all seemed to glue their eyes on him as soon as the word left his mouth. They seemed far more attentive than they were before, and Roman was sure that they were already quite focused on him in the other lectures. Perhaps now that they had tasted some live action they were more eager to pay attention.

That, or something about their perception of him had changed. Perhaps they learned something about Roman while they were on the mission that made them even more wary of him. And he knew that it could have happened - it was a calculated risk that he took that night. But it could be possible that the students were more observant than he gave them credit for.

Taking a deep breath, he returned to the lesson at hand. "The act of deceit is hard to describe. We all know what it is, and yet we often don't know what has happened until it's too late." Then, with a brief smile, he looked up at the students. "In fact, you're all probably a bit more familiar with the idea than you may realize. After all, who hasn't told a white lie to their parents or friends?"

"But I digress." Bringing out his scroll, he tapped the screen a few times before once again docking it into the professor's desk. Glancing up to make sure that the image was beginning to load, he let his eyes trail over what was present.

_Deceit_

_Noun -_ _the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth._

"It's a very straightforward term. But as mentioned before, we don't know when it's occurring until we learn more. Slangs and hand gestures passed between individuals conceal information about what is upcoming or what has happened." With another tap on the screen, he turned back to the students and leaned his weight against the desk.

Behind him, the screen morphed to list a series of words and phrases. "You probably recognize a few of these terms yourself." He shot a quick glance at Yang, "And I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you probably know the most out of the two teams here." He would have looked at Blake, but that meant revealing information to Team JNPR that he wasn't quite sure they knew about yet. It was something he needed to hold onto for now, but he was sure it would come into play later.

If Yang was bothered by his quip, she made no move to indicate as such. Maybe she had finally grown immune to his comments, which only made him smile more.

"Perhaps the most notable area of deceit in criminal activity is the act of a 'con'. It is an abuse of trust where the con artist uses friendliness, charms, or even physical proof to prove his trustworthiness. Then somehow money or goods are obtained, and then the person either disappears or otherwise gets away with the money, however that might look like."

Leaning against the desk again, he continued. "One such common scheme is called a Ponzi Scheme. A man gets others to invest in a business, and he uses the investor's funding to pay interest and dividends to earlier investors. The 'success' draws more and more investors. But once the scheme hits a critical point, the company disappears, taking the money with it. No trace of the company can be found when done correctly."

"But despite knowing these terms and how these schemes operate, many of them are learned after the fact. Criminals are going to plan to only let you see what they want you to see, hear what they want you to hear. By the time we, and by we I mean the authorities, are able to do something, many opportunities will have escaped the public eye. And this means that by the time it is finally caught, people will have already been murdered and millions of lien and contraband will have passed hands, and that's if we're lucky."

"And in some cases, you have to let a bad thing happen for the greater good - a moment where the bad guys 'get away with it' so that you can study how they move and make them easier to catch later."

Ruby bit her lip and looked at her hands on the table. "Oh, get over it already, Red. Most criminals are weakest when they think they've succeeded." Relishing her anguished look, Roman continued with his lecture. "Ozpin already made you aware that what you're going to be doing isn't intervention. Technically intervention is nearly impossible. No one can stop the human mind from plotting and seeking to deceive, and any instance of crime you see is almost never one made without forethought, whether that is planning out the act itself or if it is linked to multiple parts of a larger whole. You are instead a targeted force. When illegal activities are detected and enough accurate information is acquired to make a meaningful difference, your abilities will be employed."

"But that does not mean that deceit is only at these phases and levels of crime. By nature of the term, deceit in criminal activity can occur at any area. It can be employed at the front lines, and it can also occur internally between conspirators." He took a breath before frowning. "Case in point with myself."

"It's an open field and everything is fair game. To truly combat deceit, you need knowledge and with it you must deceive them as well. And yet that information is tightly protected." His eyes fell upon Weiss, thinking back to how she was able to determine that he had robbed the bank in one of his previous lectures. He was right to assume that they would start pushing back against him. This one girl had looked him up - if they weren't already working together to try and learn more about him, they were certainly doing so now.

Roman turned himself away from the students and began to pace. "You're not going to find out the truth just by some online search, and you can bet that anyone worth their salt in the criminal underground is keeping an eye on what their public records say about them as well. They're going to want to try and find ways to limit what is available about them, changing key words and phrases." He didn't even need to see them to imagine their bodies straightening at his comment.

"So at the end of the day, you're simply confirming that there is a veil," Pyrrha had spoken up, and he felt his eye trace to her. "It's one that is always present and never taken away until the act is already completed."

"That is correct. Like any good magician, a criminal never parts with his secrets. It's up to the audience to find out what those secrets are." He turned to look at the students again. "The good news, though, is that in many cases there are watchful eyes. The common citizen is just as dangerous to the criminal's discrete activities as the authorities would be. Also, keep in mind that the use of deception carries an opportunity cost. Time, funds, and other resources must often must be diverted in order for it to be successful."

"There will also be times where deceit is discarded. The act is called to a close and there's a loaded gun in your face." He took a deep breath and smiled. "You're going to need to be ready, for when the veil is up, when it comes down, and how to put up your own veil, whatever that might look like. Infiltration isn't going to be your primary task, but be ready to use it when needed."

This time Weiss spoke up. "Is there anything you're capable of showing us that isn't something we already know?" she snapped. Roman let a moment pass, watching as her partner Ruby shot a rare contemplative look at her partner before snapping back at him with a determined face.

He felt himself take a small breath – something had changed between the two of them. In previous interactions between the girls, Ruby seemed a little more open towards asking questions in spite of his often scathing responses. But she had become a bit quieter, more taciturn and watchful of him. Something was somehow shared to them and he had to re-double his careful efforts. No doubt that Ozpin was able to glean something and was running precautions.

"Like I said, this isn't a lecture that is capable of showing much more than you already know. I don't really know how else I can say that someone is lying to you in some way at almost all times in the criminal field. Besides, anything that I tell you now in regards to a con or other sort of subterfuge will most likely be outdated."

"You're just going to have to always be on watch."

* * *

It was decided that the area of operations was going to be in front of a local movie theater. There was enough foot traffic for Jaune to hide behind, and he jokingly stated that he could act like he was waiting for a date to show up. The public presence also meant that it would be harder for the White Fang to do anything as the local authorities could easily be called onto the scene. It was a safe bet, and as their first operation with minimal supervision ease and safety was key.

"This is Ruby Rose. Can you hear me?"

"Ruby, this is Lie Ren on Central Command and you are coming over loud and clear. What is your status?"

And even though they were receiving minimal supervision, they were granted full use of Atlas' military technology for the mission as well as having received training to create a base of operations. This meant that the eight of them were using a secure local channel to run voice communication to help provide updates to the zone. Of course, the burden of information and its utilization fell heavily on Ruby, but for good reason – she was the one with the scythe that doubled as a sniper rifle and was perched in an empty apartment at the end of the street.

"I'm in position, and I've got a clear shot at anything in the block," she gave a small, satisfied huff. "If anyone even so much as _breathes_ on our Jauney, they'll be answering to me."

"Trigger discipline, Ruby," Ren smoothly replied. "Keep it cool and fingers off. We're only expecting you to provide vision at this point."

"Well, at least we know that one of us is ready for this operation," Jaune's voice cut in. "Blake, Yang, how's the base looking?"

"Yang here," the blonde chimed in. "Nothing suspicious heading our way. Ruby and Ren are gonna be peachy."

"Good to hear." Ren sounded. "And Blake? Do you read?"

"Loud and clear," was the taciturn reply from the Faunus. "I'm overseeing Yang's position and nothing's happening."

There was something that sounded like a swoon on the other end. "Ren, Ren, please, I can't handle you sounding this cool," Nora hopelessly giggled to herself, "Say 'Central Command' again."

Another sigh went up across the waves. Pyrrha. "Sorry. What Nora means to say is that we're on standby and ready for interception."

"Central Command reads. Stay sharp, and try to keep it together Nora."

There was another giddy squeal and there was no doubt that Pyrrha must have rolled her eyes.

"So that just leaves Weiss."

The girl felt her chest rise and fall. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder from the inside of a coffee shop, she saw Jaune pacing around outside in a plaid button-up and jeans. He took out his scroll, tapping some buttons for whatever reason. He shot a quick glance at her before letting his gaze fall back onto the street.

"Weiss?" her partner called through the channel. "Weiss, do you read?"

She could almost hear the smirk in Jaune's voice as she turned away from him. "Don't make me call you Snow Angel just to get a rise out you."

"Would you stop looking at your scroll?" she whispered. "You might be trying to imitate watching the clock, but that's going to give the wrong impression to the wrong people."

"Yeesh, sorry we're concerned for you Ice Queen."

"I'm in a very public location unlike the majority of you," a sharp frown grew on her face. "If I'm talking too much that's going to draw suspicion or make me look half-insane."

Pulling out her scroll and taking a sip of coffee, Weiss ran over the operation in her head again. Ruby was providing surveillance through a camera and, if needed, sniper duty. Ren, just a floor below her, was running central communication, meaning that any data that they picked up convened at a hub and could be analyzed by him. To keep the place safe, Yang was watching over access points, and Blake was watching Yang's back to make sure no one was able to sneak up on her. If the situation required them, Pyrrha and Nora were combat ready and would deploy from the ground floor of the apartment to fight back.

And since Jaune was running the actual exchange, this left Weiss with providing first response. As the blonde boy was unarmed, her role was to intercept and defend if things started to go sour.

"Not gonna lie here," Ruby's voice crackled through the channel, "it's kinda freaky having this many people in my line of sight. I'm used to aiming at Grimm, not our fellow men."

"Finger off the trigger, Ruby, and just focus on telling us what you see." Ren spoke once more. "We're nearing the rendezvous time. Is there anyone that matches the description?"

"What - black hair, short female in the twenties?" Yang scoffed. "It ain't much to go off of. Besides, she's supposed to find Jaune, not the other way around."

"Well, she's going to approach from the south side if she can, and that's what we're looking at…" the leader girl trailed off. "... I see one. Just about to pass the third street light, wearing a white blouse of sorts and jeans. See if you can make eye contact, Jaune. You too, Weiss."

Turning towards the street, Weiss counted off the lamps and watched as the said girl approached Jaune's position. She was examining her scroll, not even looking up at where she was going until a moment later. When she did, she didn't even spare the boy a glance before passing him and walking into the store just past the movie theater.

She watched as his shoulders rose and sagged a little in relief. "Looks like a negative. Seems like she didn't even know I was alive," he whispered.

"Calm down, Jaune," Pyrrha's voice took over the line. "You're doing fine."

"Ruby, I see another coming down towards him. Same things - black hair, short, female, red dress suit and white pants."

"Yeah, she's in my sights. Anything you can see, Weiss?"

Training her eyes on the new person, she felt her eyes squint. "Faunus - has a tail of some sort." She raised her coffee to her lips for another sip as she turned away again.

"Watch her just in case, Ruby." Blake said this time, "Hate to say it, but we can't let our guard down - could be White Fang."

"I agree. Jaune, eye contact?"

A beat of silence. "Nothing. Just another false alarm."

Ruby let out a growl of frustration. "Come on, where are you…"

Ren called out another target once more. "Ruby, we have another one coming down your way. She just rounded the corner, do you have visual?"

"I have visual. She looks a little older though, I don't think she's the right-"

"Ooph!"

Jaune's voice stumbled through the line and for a moment everything went silent. Weiss snapped her head over her shoulder, arms tensing to grasp Myrtenaster's handle at her side when she saw Jaune lying face down on the ground. But she hesitated as her eyes watched another girl help turn him around and pull him up.

It was Neo. It had to be her. She was short, nearly diminutive in comparison to the male, with sleek black hair and dressed almost as plainly as he was with a hoodie and jeans. She said nothing, but that didn't stop her from running her hands down from over his shoulders to his sides, brushing off whatever dust had gotten onto him and straightening his own button-up and jeans.

But Weiss saw past the deceit. It was a common trick that pickpockets would do. With enough body contact, the victim would focus on the peripherals and miss the brushing of a hand going to grab the wallet. Or in this case, the letter.

Ruby broke the quiet. "Alright you little-"

"Ruby, _fingers off_ ," Ren's stern warning came through. "If you shoot now, the bullet could go through and hit Jaune."

"I'm just putting her in my sights," the girl growled. "Weiss, what's going on down there?"

Weiss had never heard Ruby so angered before, though she could agree with the sentiment. This Neo person had somehow snuck past all of their safeguards. "Nothing so far, she's just dusting him off."

After a brief appraisal, however, she slowly reached for the top button and undid it. Her head tilted a little, as if winking at him. Then in a final move, she used her index finger to playfully lift up Jaune's chin before making her way past him.

It was like a cap was lifted off and everyone breathed. Pyrrha was the first to respond. "Jaune, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little shaken." Weiss saw him roll his shoulders, glancing at the girl as she walked away from him.

"Jaune, check for the letter," she chimed in. At her suggestion his hand reached into his pocket and his body stiffened in surprise.

"Looks like it's gone," he said, scratching the back of his head. Turning around, he looked at what Weiss presumed was Neo before walking back towards the apartment where Ren and Ruby were located. She began to pack up as well, counting to twenty before making any moves first. "Any idea how she got past you two? With video surveillance and Ruby on the watch, that's a whole lot to sneak by."

"I'm preparing the footage for review," was Ren's stoic reply. "A person doesn't just appear in the middle of nowhere like that."

Exiting the coffee shop, she looked up at the room where Ruby was supposed to be situated. "Rubes?" she heard Yang ask. "Is everything okay?"

There was a beat of silence, and then a defeated breath.

"Target has rounded the corner and vacated my sight." Ruby's voice was strained.

"Blake, cover for me. I'm going to take a look and see if Ruby's okay."

"Jaune, I-" A portion of her anger seemed to have died away, leaving her partner with a self-loathing tone in the wake of her previous bravado. Weiss bit her lip, once again imagining how she looked like when she was asked to leave Ozpin's office. This voice had that exact same anger directed at herself, at her own failure.

Realizing what might be happening, Ren called out to her. "Ruby, slow down and breath. Nothing's happened. Jaune is still here."

"But what if it _did_ happen? I could have caught it, but-"

"Ruby, you're shaking, calm down. Big sis is here. I'm supposed to be the angry one, remember?"

"But this is the _second time-_ "

"If it's any consolation," Pyrrha took over, her voice surprisingly calm over what happened. Perhaps she was just relieved that in the end Jaune was safe, "this Neo character is not someone we're meant to easily spot. Ozpin did tell us that all we could reliably work off of was height and gender. Not to mention that we're up against world-class criminals. We're learning a lot of this as we go."

"But that-"

"Ruby Rose," Weiss cut in sharply, "you will cease this instant." Only her partner's breathing told her that she was still present, hanging onto whatever words might leave her lips. She felt herself take a breath, thinking back to the conversation that she had been formulating and planning to try and have with her partner since her talk with Ozpin. "We all make mistakes. As unfortunate as they can be, they're also the best way that we learn. I'll be honest and say that we're lucky Jaune is still standing out there." She shot a glance at him as he continued to walk and saw that he had turned to Weiss, giving her a simple nod and a brief smile before looking away again. "But even with that mistake you're still in the best position to provide surveillance and sniper coverage."

"But Weiss…" the girl didn't believe her, evidenced by the slight tremble in her voice. "If that was _you_ , I mean... after what Ozpin said-"

She ignored the weakness in Ruby's voice, the sharp breaths and trembling exhales. "What we got today was a wake-up call for all of us - our first real lesson. Like it or not, we are all going to make mistakes, but we're still alive and we're going to learn from these instances and get better. Just promise yourself that you won't make the same mistake again. That's all we need to follow a leader."

"And in this line of work that's all I need to have in a friend and partner."

There was a deep breath, "... Alright." Another breath, and this time, Ruby spoke again with a firmer voice. "Alright."

"Promise me, Ruby."

"... I promise."

"Alright," Jaune jumped in, "I think Yang might agree with me to say that this was a little 'bumpy', but at the end of the day, phase one is complete. Let's finish pulling back for now and then I can make a food run. We're done here until the second phase anyway. We'll develop a better way to prevent this mistake for both the second half and the future. And we're going to figure it out the way we're supposed to do it - as a team."

Setting her eyes on the apartment that Jaune just entered, Weiss let out a low huff. What had happened was a critical mistake. If things were different, it could have been any of them. But for now, Weiss never knew that hearing Jaune's voice could ever be so relieving.

"If you don't mind, Jaune, let me do it. I know Rube's favorite milkshake in this whole town. Besides, I don't think Team JNPR wants to put you at any more risk than we have to today. You're still handling the exchange for the second part too, you know."

Pyrrha chimed in. "Thanks for the favor, Yang."

* * *

 

Still in the casual outfit, Neo had placed herself inside a local library and was sitting down at one of the open tables. While it was still a public location and anyone could find her, this would be the last place that any of Cinder's closer allies or the White Fang would search for her in. She wasn't known for having reading hobbies, and she certainly didn't have the patience to enjoy a good book. Besides, few truly knew what she was good at, or what she was truly capable of.

Taking out the crafted letter, she carefully undid the top and dragged it out, examining his handwriting. It had been some time since the two of them had last communicated like this, but she could easily sift through the letter and start picking apart the code he had left for her. Skipping the top of the page, she instead focused on the bottom where he signed his name.

Neo's eyes fell upon the phrase just above where he had signed his name.

' _I hope you stay safe now'_

Specifically, she focused on the word 'you' and the first letter that came after it, 's'. 'You' was the third word in the phrase, meaning she was to locate where the letter 's' appeared for the third time in their cypher.

' _He who fight_ _s_ _with monster_ _s_ _s_ _hould be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.'_

It was perhaps Roman's favorite line among philosophers and other dead men. And once she got to know him as well as more about herself, Neo had to agree that she liked the line as well.

Counting off the letters, the third 's' was the twenty-fourth letter in the phrase. Subtracting one, this meant that whatever message Roman had left for her was going to be twenty-three letters long.

She then looked at the last word in the phrase - specifically the 'w' of 'now'. It was the third letter in the phrase, which meant that she was to take the first letter of every third word to build the code from, treating hyphenated words as a single word. And any 'ha-ha's were a comma.

Finally looking back at the top of the page, she took a picture of it on her scroll. On another sheet of paper, she began to write out down the letters Roman indicated.

_Hello Neo, I hope you're doing well._

_As you_ _ **s**_ _hould probably know,_ _ **I**_ ' _m currently incarcerated,_ _ **l**_ _ocked away. You_ _ **e**_ _ven might not_ _ **n**_ _eed to know_ _ **t**_ _he whole extent_ _ **o**_ _f the story._ _ **N**_ _evertheless, our friendly_ _ **c**_ _o-conspirator betrayed me._ _ **C**_ _urrently, you're probably_ _ **t**_ _hinking how this, ha-ha,_ _ **o**_ _bscure letter got_ _ **b**_ _etween your fingertips_ _ **s**_ _ince I am_ _ **e**_ _ntrapped in jail._ _ **R**_ _ather, it's a_ _ **v**_ _ery strange story,_ _ **e**_ _specially since whenever_ _ **w**_ _e've communicated by_ _ **e**_ _ver-so-simply writing it_ _ **i**_ _s never as_ _ **s**_ _imple as it_ **s** _eems._

_And you'd be right, as usual. I'm here helping a team of students at Beacon learn to fight criminals, specifically to help defeat and capture the ones that turned me in. And if I perform well enough I might get a little leniency during my stay._

_Ha, hard to believe, right?_

_Still, in order for this to be a success and give my backstabber a taste of her own medicine, we need to know what's going to happen in Mountain Glenn. Specifically, we need to know if the operation parameters are still going to be the same as before. If there have been any changes, you need to confirm that information so that we can disrupt their goal._

_And if possible, we would like to obtain your 'capture'. It'll be easy if you happen to be in charge of Mountain Glenn now, which would make the most sense - that was what I was handling prior to all this. As mentioned previously, you'll be providing a return response within the next two hours. Stay sharp, and watch your back. I'm not there to watch it for you at this time._

_I hope you stay safe now,_

_Roman H. L. Torchwick_

As the code began to take shape, Neo felt her lips grin.

**SILENT ON CCT, OBSERVE WEISS**


	14. A Planned Accident

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Ozpin's office never changed, Roman reminded himself. Once more he was seated in the headmaster's office, the cool night sky barely showing past the light reflecting from the inside of the windows, where things were always the same. The guards at his side never changed, the seating arrangement never changed, and the atmosphere never changed.

The only thing that was new was Neo's response to the questions. It became clear very quickly that the plan for Mountain Glenn had remained the same. The White Fang had continued to stockpile dust and weaponry underneath the city in spite of Roman's incarceration, and with the way she had responded it sounded like they would be ready to ship out and begin the strike at the next moment. This meant that they needed to find a way to defuse the situation immediately.

But the challenge soon became how it was to be done. Ironwood had already suggested the use of the Atlas military, but it was quickly dismantled. Any large outside force would indicate that someone was onto them, and would result in a drastic change in future plans, plans that Roman didn't quite know of outside of the CCT Tower.

"Let me make sure I have this right," Roman said as he crossed his legs. He pointed a finger at General Ironwood. "Naturally, you want to stop the White Fang at the Mountain Glenn base, and a full scale military operation will do that."

He then shifted his gaze towards Ozpin. "You, however, are concerned with making it too obvious that we know more than we should. A full-sized force will give away that someone is after them, or that someone is feeding information. In fact, any type of military action is going to draw suspicion. No one would make such a move without full confidence, and if we do that, we risk losing our only trail to the top, especially if the person we're looking for isn't stationed at Mountain Glenn."

"Does that sound about right to you?"

Neither of the three in front of him made a move, and he took a deep breath. "I think we're making it sound harder than it actually is."

"And what do you have to offer, Torchwick?" the general quickly replied. "We don't have any local hunters in the area, and military is, decidedly," he gave a quick look at Ozpin, "out of the question."

"Simple," Roman smiled. "We make it look like an accident."

"An accident?" This time it was Glynda who spoke up, a hand gently readjusting her glasses. "We're talking about fighting a terrorist organization that has a plan that could hit us at any moment. An accident is the last thing we need."

"I didn't say that we have an accident," he clarified. "We just need to make it look like one."

A resolute clack of clay echoed across the table, and his gaze fell onto Ozpin. "And what would you propose to achieve that, Roman?"

Taking out a cigar, he casually lit it with his lighter before taking a breath. "Hmph. Don't be stupid with me, Ozpin. You and I both know you're above that." With a heavy exhale to the side, he let his single green eye fall onto the man. "You want to send RWBY and JNPR, don't you?"

Roman knew it was risky. If something had happened to the students while they were on a mission, then his entire deal with Ozpin would go south very quickly. But at the same time, it would provide an opportunity for him to agree with Roman for once. He also needed to have the train deliver Neo to him, as that was the most direct way to obtaining his escape. He had other methods that didn't rely on her, but they weren't as foolproof.

"This would be an endangerment to the students," was his particular reply. The headmaster's gaze fell to the map on the table below them. "This particular mission is more suited for a team of third years."

The general spoke up again, a spiteful smile growing across his lips. "I expected something more from you, Torchwick. Criminal mastermind losing his touch?"

"Hah, don't get ahead of yourself, Ironwood," Roman returned the smile, "Ozpin never specifically stated that he disagreed, after all."

All eyes fell onto the man, whose only sign of discomfort was a brief rising and falling of his shoulders.

"Ozpin," Glynda nearly gasped, "you can't be serious."

"Unfortunately," the headmaster finally said, "Roman brings up a very good point. We are approaching a time where students are beginning to take their first missions. And as RWBY and JNPR are planned to be hunters that focus on stopping men instead of monsters, this would technically be a prime opportunity." He gave a look to the others. "It is what we selected them for, was it not?"

"They're inexperienced Ozpin," the general spoke up, worry creeping into his voice. "They may be leagues above the other first years in terms of combat as teams, but as individuals their abilities differ too much."

The blonde in front of him also gave a curt nod. "I for once agree with the Ironwood. They have done well against Grimm, but human targets are something else. They're too young for this. In another year then they might be ready, but right now they are not."

To this Ozpin gave a rough sigh. "I was hoping to discuss this afterward, but it would appear that the time is now." Propping up his elbows and threading his fingers, he slowly blinked before speaking.

"I am old."

The other two seemed to freeze in their place, as if stunned by his word choice. But slowly, he watched their countenance change as Ozpin continued to speak. "I know how to tell an Ursa Major apart from a regular Ursa. I know the easiest way to flip a Deathstalker onto its back. But I am old, and someone will eventually replace me. And just like me, so will this future generation replace you." The man gave the two of them knowing stares and a subtle nod. "They will take over our roles and do the things that we three do."

Roman had a feeling that there was more to Ozpin's words than what was simply being said, and as he thought about it a few things fell into place. In addition to the classes he had taught, the visit to Junior showed that they could conduct discrete missions together. And while the information exchange with Neo wasn't flawless, it allowed them to demonstrate the ability to react and adapt. There was no doubt that the three of them were training the two teams to fulfill a special role, one that might allow them to conduct paramilitary operations better than they could.

They also had the right type of people to get the job done. Jaune Arc, as unremarkable as he was, was average in his overall appearance. He wasn't a particularly memorable face, and people would forget him if he stayed low enough. Lie Ren had shown himself to be capable with handling communication between teams and data analysis while Yang Xiao Long and Nora Valkyrie were the backbone of their offense. Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna were fast, with the latter also being proficient in stealth, given her past criminal history. And finally, Pyrrha Nikos and Weiss Schnee were the socialites - capable of rubbing shoulders to garner public favor.

He shuffled the thought away for later, making a note to himself that he would need to reexamine his curriculum again - these eight could not know too much, as otherwise they would be using it against him in the future. Roman's mind went back to what Ozpin was saying.

"In my first mission as a hunter, I was ready, and yet not ready. I knew the information, but lacked the finesse to fully implement my knowledge. That is why we send first year initiates through the forest. Combat schools give them the knowledge, and here they apply and finetune it. I stand by my statement that this is beyond the standard scope of the first-year teams' missions. However this may be the best mission for them to start with, granted that they are given the proper supervision."

He looked at the other two on his side. "The process is not different from what hunters go through in terms of training. Only the obstacle before them is different. We will deploy Teams RWBY and JNPR for this mission."

Roman watched the other two, seeing that Glynda had become pensive and withdrawn while Ironwood turned to stare at the table, his visible hand in a fist. It was very clear that Ozpin had said some piercing words, but it worked - they would finally be able to begin the planning phase, which was the real reason why he was brought up in the first place.

"As you mentioned, Roman," Ozpin continued, "the base is in the underground city that was built below Mountain Glenn proper. How would the students enter 'by accident'?"

"Well, let's start with the map." Roman pointed at the dots marked across the abandoned establishment from a bird's-eye view. "These red dots indicate entryways into the underground. They are heavily guarded by White Fang troops as these are the most direct ways in and out of their base. When I was running it, I gave the orders to withhold fire unless absolutely necessary. If a deployed force goes silent in the area, a bigger one will come our way. If this still holds true, then while the teams may be spotted on the way in, they should be safe from White Fang attacks."

"Assaulting these positions with just eight students is also not just dangerous but foolhardy. As mentioned earlier, we are expecting the train to start moving at any moment. Even if we successfully force our way in, the train might already be deployed as a response and the bombs begin to go off. Critical mission failure, status black - we'd be forced to prepare an extraction while also scrambling for defenses against where the train will impact." Tapping at the scroll in front of him, he turned the blueprint sideways, cutting a clear diagram from the side view.

"Instead, we know that the city itself is over twenty years old and that means that it hasn't seen any type of serious maintenance since its collapse as a city. It's possible that the structural integrity of the streets are weak. A well placed explosive or shock could open up a hole in the ceiling of the city, granting access to the heart of the operations."

"But once they get into there," Glynda gave him a sharp look, "they'll be surrounded by White Fang troops. As skilled as they may be, no one is going to survive being surrounded by the enemy."

Roman took a deep breath from his cigar and tapped the scroll in front of him, adding a blue blip to the map. "That is why we will need to start the train and activate the bombs."

The room was quiet as Ozpin leaned forward. "That's quite the gamble there, Roman. For now, though, what do you believe would be the expected outcome if this was to be the case?"

He put his back against the chair. "Think about where they are. Mountain Glenn is crawling with Grimm. Even if they wipe out the White Fang they will then have to deal with the creatures. They're going to be attracted to the noise, and there's going to be a lot of them. And there's no way that they can defeat the White Fang, stop the train, and then fight off the Grimm. Extraction will be rough and delayed. You'll have no idea if the area is safe, and if you bring too much firepower you be splitting your forces between Mountain Glenn and Vale."

"Instead, imagine it like this. If we have the team board the train and it begins to move, they have a free ride back to Vale. You'll know where the impact point is, and you can 'arrange' for soldiers to be ready to intercept and fight." He dragged the blip in a straight line back towards the north. "And with the bombs detonating, you're going to seal off the rest of the White Fang in Mountain Glenn, where the group will either have to burn resources to save them from the oncoming Grimm or call triage on the base. If any Grimm make it through into Vale, you're already in position to clean it up. You just need to make it look like whatever forces you have were scrambled to get there."

He leaned forward, once again tapping away at the screen to add a pink dot next to the blue dot representing the train. "Finally, though, it also gives us the clearest shot we'll get to obtaining Neo. If we can get her on our side from this mission, then we have a possible pathway to future opportunities. It's not a guarantee, but she may know more information than we currently do now."

Ironwood looked displeased at his thoughts, but he kept calm throughout Roman's explanation. Folding his arms across his chest, he gave him a look in the eye. "And what makes you so sure that Neo won't betray us?"

"Hmph," he returned the gaze with a smile. "With the right motivation, anyone can be kept in line. I have a feeling that after the train mission, whoever was on top had plans to have me, or in this case Neo, eliminated. When your operational end goal leaves you either stuck in a Grimm invasion or riding on a train with explosives and on a collision course, that tells you something about what your near future is going to look like. If you can give her something that she wants, or if I'm able to somehow provide that, it's all we'll need to keep her in line. It's the same like anyone else."

The elimination part wasn't quite true, though he did feel that he would be expendable at that point. Cinder's charms weren't working on him, and she would have had no use for him after the mission. There was also no doubt that she had the power to find a way to sneak in and kill him to wrap up any loose ends. And while Neo was far more slippery and could escape assassination attempts, there was still the possibility of it.

"So ultimately," Roman began to conclude, "letting the train get started is the best choice. I agree that it's not ideal. There's going to be innocent people getting hurt on the sidelines as well as property damage." He took another puff from his cigar. "Operationally, though, this is the best shot we could ask for given the circumstances. The entry into the base looks like an accident, the train launch looks like an attempt to salvage the operation, and military just happened to be at the right place at the right time. I doubt that our target will think it was just a coincidence, but it technically fulfilled what could have been one of her goals - terror and bringing Grimm into Vale. She might not deviate from whatever her other plans are, and predictability is something we need."

"Again," he punctuated, "it's not ideal, but sometimes we have to let bad things happen to get what we want." His gaze fell upon the three of them. "What do you say?"

They remained silent. Glynda examined the map again, her eyes scanning for anything small that the four of them had missed, and Ironwood's hand was still clenched. Finally, though, Ozpin moved and looked him in the eye.

"We will deliberate your suggestion, Roman. As unsavory as it is, the end results are in line with what we are looking for. Unless you have anything else to add, though, we'll be returning you to your room."

His eyes closed for a moment as the butt of this cigar lit up in an orange tint. "Two things. The first is intelligence. If we can get our hands on anything, that's going to help. Hopefully Neo will have pocketed some, but ultimately it's a secondary objective. You also mentioned supervision. I'd like to know you who you have in mind. Credentials, missions, time on the field, that type of thing."

"And, perhaps most importantly, if he or she has killed anyone."

* * *

" _You're a fine person, and I think that under other circumstances I would love to go. But I don't plan to attend the dance. I'm sorry, Neptune. There's too many things for me to work on at this time."_

Myrtenaster screamed as Ren brought Stormflower across in a slash from right to left, the two weapons glancing across each other with a quick block from Weiss. As much as the quiet teenager didn't look like it, she had found herself respecting him in combat - once when she watched him take down his opponent for the first time, and again when they had their first duel. As short-ranged as the blades were, they were quick and more importantly they carried the immediate threat of ranged bullets. It was impossible for anyone to fight Ren without losing at least some of their aura.

Her obvious attempt back in their first fight was to get up close and personal - Myrtenaster was a sword before all of its other capabilities. But as soon as she found a way to close the distance, using ice dust to freeze the water particles in the air in front of her to form a makeshift icewall, she very soon discovered that dealing with him was even worse up close. At point blank range, it meant that she was at the tip of the guns' spray cones and it was easy to constantly feel the bullets pinging away at her aura as their weapons exchanged blows.

Locking blades against him was out of the question as well. A second blade meant that he could forcibly occupy her weapon while coming in for another strike at a different point, not to mention that it was still a gun. Sometimes she chose to block his blades because Myrtenaster's dust cylinders had been spun to the needed type during their fight, ready to disrupt his strikes. Electricity would force his arms into spasms, ice could trap his hand in place, and explosive was capable of blowing each other away and building distance, though that last one wasn't something she wanted in many cases as it often took a small toll on her as well. But that took time that she didn't always have, forcing herself to be at range and letting him pick away at her aura even more.

Finally, and the part that she begrudgingly respected the most, was that Ren fought dirty. He took every chance he could to kick at her knees when she was forced to committing to a block, attempting to knock her down. He kept himself at just outside of stabbing range, giving himself enough time to sidestep or block or, more annoyingly, keep shooting at her.

But what Weiss was not expecting the first time they fought was the muzzle flash of his guns to be so distracting at close range. When she finally got in, trying to cut him with a downward slash, Ren caught the blade in a horizontal block, and fired the guns upward in front of her vision. Having not suspected it, she caught the full flash and for a quick moment she had to blink her eyes in surprise. But by then he had already kneed her away, building the perfect distance to deliver a swift spinning heel to the side of her temple.

Weiss crumpled over easily that day, and while her head was still spinning from the impact she barely registered Ren emptying the rest of clips into her until the harsh buzzer indicated that her aura was depleted.

She had learned a lesson that day - as multifunctional as Myrtenaster was, it on its own was not enough. It was why they were assigned to teams, after all. It made sense, too - fighting Grimm was just a killing field at times, especially when they were young and average in size. Brute force and swathing destruction that leveled the earth was more effective than the looking for an opening in a person's guard. And as all fought differently, so too did it imply a different set of clashing strengths and weaknesses, some that might have been insurmountable without the proper preparation, or ever.

And that was why it was normally Blake's job to keep Ren occupied in their twice-a-week teamfights with JNPR, a habit that had formed not long after their first attempt to look more into Roman as a team. It let them emulate a real-world combat situation, and then evaluate their combat skills as a team - what were their real strengths in an all-out scuffle, what worked and didn't work, what to try next time. And while Goodwitch had ordered teamfights on occasion, it was now very apparent to the two teams that with their continued cooperation this would need to be one of their focuses in addition to everything else.

Sometimes things were orderly in their fights. Team tactics were utilized under various scenarios, sometimes effectively separating and picking off a combatant and giving way to a strong advantage. RWBY found that it was best to let Blake lead first, her semblance and natural speed letting her to slip past and disrupt. Yang often went next with a strike that completely broke apart formations, letting Ruby follow after whoever Blake was singling out with her speed, almost always guaranteeing a two-on-one situation that was quick and brutal. Finally, Weiss followed up with ice, hoping to encase and immobilize an unfortunate straggler in the chaos, something that not even Pyrrha could struggle out of at times. JNPR on the other hand often played a more targeted pick strategy, utilizing Nora's firepower to separate RWBY before all focusing on the easiest and most unfortunate target. They were both two sides of the same coin, divide and conquer, though JNPR's strategy was much more cutthroat. Regardless of who attacked first, the buzzer had a tendency to go off more in the first twenty seconds than it would in the next two minutes.

But more often than not things devolved into an ugly melee after the initial blow - the arena was too small for long-range fighting. There were no one-on-ones like in combat class - everyone tried to double team another person and fight dirty while keeping an eye on their teammate's or their own backs. More than once did Weiss wind up for a quick finisher only forced away or knocked aside in some format. It frustrated her more than anything else, especially if it was one that directly lead to her aura being brought to critical levels and forcibly removing her from the fight.

And that was what their most recent teamfight had become. JNPR was given first strike privilege since RWBY had it last time, but while Nora's grenade had separated the team, they had gone through it enough times to know that their first objective was to regroup after the impact. By chance Ruby had taken the explosion the worst and was launched closer towards the opposing team than anyone else, but her speed made it easy for her to return to the far side.

Their own weapons sliding into place, Ruby brought down the tip of her scythe into the floor, taking quick aim at Jaune and firing while Yang launched an explosive shot from her gauntlets at the center of the group. Ideally, the incoming explosion would create a mask for Blake, who would run disruption. But they watched curiously as JNPR stood still, letting Jaune do something they hadn't seen him do before - slamming the bottom of his shield down into the stage.

Ruby's bullet missed his now-crouching form, but Yang's shot exploded. However there was what appeared to be a dim white flicker across the opposing team. Blake still dashed in through the smoke, hoping to use it as cover, but just as quickly as she entered she was launched back out, rolling on her side until she came to an unsteady stance at her feet. There was a circle-shaped bruise quickly forming on the side of her stomach that looked suspiciously like it was from Nora's hammer.

Blake's semblance sacrificed a tiny portion of her aura to redirect damage and move her out of the way, but it was only useful as long as she wasn't caught off guard. Taking a quick glance at the aura boards, Weiss had noted with alarmed surprise that she had lost twenty-six percent in that one strike. And for whatever it was that Jaune did, he had only lost six, leaving the rest of his teammates at full capacity and in formation.

"Return fire!"

At Jaune's command, JNPR went all guns blazing, forcing Blake into a hasty retreat. "Yang, up!" was Ruby's counter order. Knowing that her semblance worked on taking damage to rev up, the blonde dashed forward, absorbing the brunt of the fire. With a large leap, she slammed her gauntlet into the stage, forcing JNPR to scatter apart.

After that things became a mess, with RWBY at a serious disadvantage from the earlier blow. Weiss tried to stay focused, looking to encase the first straggler she saw, but Pyrrha's shield forced her to sway out of the way, and that was when Ren turned his focus onto her. Their blades locked more times than she liked, but he was adamant in looking to force the situation. She could feel the bullets pinging off of her aura and she knew that she needed to reset the distance and re-engage someone else, preferably in a two-on-one. She let her cylinder spin to explosive and quickly stabbed the ground. As much as it was only a temporary solution, she needed to save her other types to immobilize higher priority targets - Pyrrha and Nora.

The resulting blast sent him a good distance away. Not bothering to see if he had gotten up or check herself for damage, Weiss quickly tried to make her way to Pyrrha and Yang, using her glyphs to jettison herself over. Spinning her cylinders again to land on ice, she slashed at the ground, watching as a cold blue trailed through the stage. As soon as it got close to the redhead, however, she moved out of the way and the heiress let out a frustrated growl. Turning her body and grinding to a halt, she looked up to see her throw her red and gold shield at her yet again.

Looking over her left, she saw Ruby struggling under Ren's attacks this time, the back of his blades hooked against the handle of her scythe and bullets flying from the front. She smartly let go of the head and Ren nearly eviscerated himself as he pulled the blade towards his stomach. Seeing the chance for an opening and knowing that her partner would struggle in a close quarters fight against him, she moved to dash over and assist, but she found Jaune quickly moving to block her path.

"Ugh!"

Glancing back, she saw Pyrrha's shield ricocheting back to her as she ran at a dazed Blake. Somewhere in the fight, Nora must have pushed her back towards her teammate, leaving her unaware that the shield was careening towards her head. But with her teammate struggling to maintain her standing form and not fully coherent, this left her wide open to Nora's full hammer swing. Blake was launched clear out of the arena, her aura dipping into the red and out of the fight.

_BZZZZZZZ_

Weiss made a mental note to try to stop or deflect the shield in the future. Just because it was heading in her direction didn't mean it was aimed just at her. But now they were down one, and that meant that someone on JNPR would be on the loose. And if she knew one person to eliminate now (and by her own poor decision of _not_ attempting to eliminate her in the past), Nora was the one to try and take out. With the raw power she had, it was easy to set up a pick and let her make a crushing blow..

Glancing back, Jaune had yet to make a real move, knowing that his team now held the advantage and he could afford to stall. Utilizing her ice dust once more, she slashed at the ground, sending the wave of ice towards him and forcing him to roll out of the way. Running through the opening, Weiss saw Ruby struggling under Ren's barrage, finding herself unable to engage him in any equal capacity and instead resorted to bursting into a flurry of rose petals and appearing next to Yang, looking to fight with her against Nora. But before the two of them could really do anything together, Jaune had already dived in and so had Pyrrha.

Looking to follow after them, she found her path blocked by Ren, who had set his sights on her once more, guns blazing. Technically, if Ren tried to lock blades with her, ice or lightning would remove the function of his hands for a short while, often buying her enough time to finish the job or get to where she needed to go. But she was running out of ice, they hadn't stopped Pyrrha or Nora yet, and running electric dust was dangerous due to Nora's semblance - she could sap it off of him and turn it back against her. Dodging around the arena, a quick glance at the board showed that her aura was around three-quarters full and draining under Ren's barrage.

She needed to take a risk. Running up through the bullets, she spun to electricity, watching as the the blade cracked with energy. Ren continued shooting, thinking that she would turn eventually, but she continued to barrel towards him, speeding up with glyphs. Only when she saw his eyes widen did he try to move out of the way, but by then she had already collided with him and the two entered a tumble.

Trying to maintain contact for as long as possible and fighting the creeping dizziness from the rolling, she pressed the hilt of Myrtenaster against his chest and let it shock him for as long as she could. And while she ended up below him, having to push up against his body, she was rewarded shortly afterward.

_BZZZZZZZ_

Lie Ren was done for this match, and it was now three-on-three. Roughly shoving his twitching body off of her, she rose to see Yang getting launched away by a strong blow by Pyrrha, who was chasing after her. The blonde stood up, eyes flickering red. But before she could do anything else, there was a sharp cry of terror that belonged to Ruby.

_BZZZZZZZ_

Another harsh blare emanated the corners of the arena, indicating a third elimination. Turning her eyes, she saw Jaune bowl past and tumble by. For a moment her mind thought that they were winning. But seeing him standing quickly made her look up at the aura boards and she blanched. The horn had been for Ruby. Quickly glancing around the floor, Weiss could feel a frustrated growl coming from her throat as she saw her partner curling into a ball with a grimace as she held her arms over her stomach, no doubt courtesy of Nora.

Tears of pain were beginning to make their presence known on Ruby's face, but Weiss forced herself to turn away. Yang was left, and she was going to need help. They had made comebacks and won against these odds before, but three-on-two was still ugly. Summoning her glyph again, she put her feet against it and kicked off, quickly spinning her cylinders once more. Weiss needed to stop Pyrrha now, who had her back turned to her. As strong as she was, ice still proved to be highly effective at locking her down. And if they could lock her down, that meant they could knock her out and engage the other two.

But right as she felt herself accelerate, there was a sudden pain all around her head, like small needles being pulled out of her skull. There was some give, but her body straightened out below her and in her surprised yell Myrtenaster fell away from her, too far to reach. As her vision turned to the roof of the arena, her back crashing onto the floor, she saw Jaune letting go of her hair before lifting his shoe and slamming it down across her forehead.

_BZZZZZZZ_

* * *

Yang was sporting a deep but healing scratch on her forearm, though the red blood would remain over it. That was the worst wound for her, but Weiss saw that she sported numerous bumps and bruises across her body. Blake had two purple circular imprints across her stomach from Nora's hammer that would most likely disappear after a good night's rest. Ruby still clutched her gut, finding that nothing was broken and that her breathing was a little labored only because of the bruise. It seemed even darker in comparison to Blake's and the rise and fall of her stomach agitated it.

Weiss looked up, and her icy but concerned blue eyes locked against soft silver.

"Are you going to be okay, Ruby?"

"Oh, it doesn't hurt as much as before, and you missed the worst of it."

She felt her gaze harden at the younger girl, and her partner crumbled quickly. Ruby winced a bit as she chuckled, the pain in her stomach making itself known. "I uh... threw up while you were still passed out. Jaune had me in a full nelson and lifted me off my feet, so Nora got a _really_ good swing off on me."

She shot a sharp glare at the other team, who seemed nearly pristine save Ren. His left index finger had yet to stop twitching and his pink strand of hair refused to cooperate with the rest of his locks due to static electricity. Jaune's clothes looked a little ruffled, but aside from that nothing really stood out.

To his credit, the boy was getting better. He was still a long way from standing toe to toe against the others in a duel, but he was lasting longer and fighting smarter. It did nothing to reduce the sting of being eliminated by him, however, both figuratively and literally.

As for herself, she refocused on the chunk of ice in her hand and applied it to her forehead once more. Weiss wasn't one to swear, but holy _fuck_ if getting curbstomped by Jaune didn't make her head hurt.

Jaune also didn't apologize for his particularly brutal strike after the match. In fact, he stopped apologizing for any below-the-belt strikes he did after Yang had kneed him in the groin in one of their more brutal teamfights, immediately removing him from the match and a good ten minutes afterward. They had won that particular bout, but much to their chagrin Pyrrha had almost single-handedly steamrolled them during the fight after that had happened.

No one apologized to each other regarding teamfights after that.

"So, that puts us at what… five to twelve?" Yang said in both a disappointed yet optimistic voice. It was true that RWBY was often on the losing end of the teamfights, even if they were given the first strike advantage. Pyrrha was a goddess of combat with a powerful semblance and their overall balance as a team worked strongly in their favor. At the same time though, they were the only team to beat JNPR in any way, even if it was by virtue of trial and error and off the record as well.

"Five to eleven, actually," Pyrrha gently corrected her. "We tied once, remember?"

Yang crossed her arms. "If we didn't win, then we lost." Pyrrha put up a small frown and began to speak, but the blonde continued to talk, "And don't try to talk me out of that. When our mission begins in Mountain Glenn, there won't be any ties or draws."

As the words left her mouth, the two teams fell silent. Many first-year teams were excited about the prospect of their first mission, even when the professors mentioned that it was going to be simple, routine, and most likely devoid of any real combat situations. But just like with their excursion to Junior's club, the two teams were privately briefed on what their mission would entail. Under supervision, they were to emulate a simple Grimm elimination mission. Then on the next day, they were to briefly engage heavily armed White Fang forces, find Neo, start a train, detonate explosives and trap the White Fang base, survive the crash into Vale, and fight any Grimm that make it through the breach.

Even Yang raised her eyebrow when they got to the 'survive the crash' part. Weiss simply hoped that their supervision was going to be very good and that the communication equipment Atlas was providing wouldn't fail at the last moment.

A calm voice interrupted the silence. "Let's get back to the match at hand here. Mountain Glenn isn't until the end of the week," Blake said, drawing the attention of the group. "What I'd like to know was what Jaune did at the start of the match." She gave him a curious look. "I don't think I've ever seen you do something like that before."

A nervous chuckle arose from the tall blonde as he scratched the back of his head. He gave a quick look at Pyrrha, who nodded for him to continue. "Well, it's based off of what Pyrrha told me once before and something that… well…" his smile faltered a little, "something that Torchwick told me too."

Any idle thoughts or chatter fell away after Jaune mentioned the name. "Pyrrha mentioned that I have an exceptionally large aura, and Torchwick told me that I should use what I currently have. And when I thought about how we can channel our aura into things, I found that by putting my aura into the shield it made it easier to withstand certain attacks. But it didn't really help us out as a team."

Blake responded with a slow nod. "So you modified what you were doing, then."

"I did, but not directly. I did some reading on my own and with some experimenting, I found that if I slammed the shield down, my aura fanned out from the shield, producing a brief cover that's densest at the point of contact before fanning out over an area."

"Have you-oww…" Ruby piped up only to wince a little. But she recovered quickly. "Have you tried throwing the shield? Would the barrier sprout up where it lands?"

"I've tried before, actually." Jaune excitedly said. "The only problem is that once it leaves my hands my aura wants to reconnect back to me, so anything that comes from it is going to be very small. I can feel it working, but it's so minimal that right now it's not ready for use yet."

Yang furrowed her eyes a little. "You know, that doesn't sound all that new to me."

"It's not," Jaune admitted. "In fact, Pyrrha can do it, too. It's just that for the aura lost, it's not an efficient tool for her if she has to block something with it. But does that answer your question?"

To this Blake gave a summary nod before letting the rest of the battle breakdown begin. It was a simple affair, really - Ren had made the right choice to engage Weiss first, picking on a natural advantage, while Jaune and Nora occupied Ruby and Blake. They acknowledged that close engagements surrounded by teammates was not an ideal situation for Ruby to fight in and that the size limitation of the arena was something that wouldn't be as present in a real situation. Her weapon combination risked cutting her teammates in close range or risk shooting them from afar. But at the same time it became clear that she needed to be able to find something to contribute more consistently than just opportune strikes for herself. She needed to be able to fight and make openings for her teammates as well.

And finally, much to Weiss' disappointment, she agreed that her merely dodging the shield a second time instead of deflecting it allowed the projectile to careen into Blake, dazing and making her an easy target for Nora to launch off the battlefield. That might have ultimately been what cost them the match, as losing a team member in a teamfight often lead to losing more. Self defense was one thing, but team defense was just as important. It was a mistake Weiss wouldn't make again, especially with the pending mission at hand.

* * *

Finally after some more thoughts, the two teams adjourned, each member looking to resume their separate tasks. Jaune and Pyrrha were going to continue practicing on their own, Blake just wanted to curl up with a good book and sleep, and Yang was going to grab something to eat. Ren and Nora had already begun to wander off, but the girl quickly leaned in and whispered something into his ears before, which caused the boy to simply shake his head.

"Central Command does not agree… for now." This set the other girl off in a series of uncontrollable giggles.

But as Weiss watched Ruby wince as she stood up, she made her decision and put her foot down.

"Ruby, I'm taking you to the infirmary."

"What?" the young leader said, Ruby's silver eyes locking onto Weiss' blue ones. "I'll be fine. My aura is beginning to already fix things." She lifted up the edge of her faux corset a tiny bit, revealing pale skin marred by the edges of a dark purple circle. "See?"

Weiss took a deep breath and exhaled. When she looked up again, she could already feel her brow furrowing. "It looks exactly the same as it did ten minutes ago." Her eyes squinted. "In fact, I think it looks darker than before. Didn't I give you a piece of ice to put over it?"

"It was _cold!_ " she shot back. She put the hem of her top back down. "Besides, you can't make me go," she said matter-of-factly.

"And what makes you imagine that?"

"Because I can outrun you."

There was a burst of rose petals, but as soon as they appeared, so did Ruby appear on the floor, curling into a ball once again.

Weiss rolled her eyes as she walked over and knelt down next to Ruby. "Infirmary?"

"Y-Yeah," the younger girl agreed, her voice a little strained. "Infirmary."

With a ginger touch, Weiss helped Ruby to her feet. Removing the piece of ice she had been holding against her head, she placed it on her partner's stomach as gently as she could. The girl shivered a little but made no complaints as she let herself be lead out of the arena.

There was silence between the two as they started walking down the halls. It was late Sunday afternoon - many students were taking the time to catch up on homework or rest before the start of the new week, so there was little foot traffic and noise.

Eventually, though, Ruby spoke up.

"Hey Weiss, is it true that you're not going to go to the dance?"

She shot a gaze at her but didn't deny the accusation. "Where did you hear that?"

"Well," her gaze fell to the ground, "Yang is obviously going, and since she's going, she's already established that I'm going to be there as well, and-"

" _Ruby._ "

"It was Blake," the girl quickly said, but her voice resumed her normal pace shortly after. "Blake agreed to letting Sun be her date about a week ago. Then a little while later, somehow he shared that you had… well, you had turned down Neptune's offer to go to the dance with him."

Weiss took a breath. "We have Mountain Glenn to worry about. I can't afford to worry about a dance when I need to worry about making sure our team gets through that mission alive."

Her partner stopped in her tracks, forcing her to a near grinding halt. "Weiss, Blake is going."

"And?"

" _Blake_ is _going._ " Ruby repeated. "She's probably the most introverted of us four and she's just as serious as you are. The fact that she is still planning to have fun in the face of the oncoming mission says something."

She knew where this was leading to, and in spite of that she still tried to justify her position. "Ruby, this is serious. If either RWBY or JNPR doesn't come back in one piece, I don't know how I'd live with myself."

Her shoulders slumped, and she head tucked down a little. Weiss grimaced. Wrong choice of words. Again.

"I… I don't know how I'd go on if that happened, too," was her eventual diminutive response. "We've all come so far. I don't want to lose anyone, not now, not ever, not you, not-" she sniffed and swallowed, pushing down what Weiss knew was a lump in her throat. "I know that I should put everything to the grindstone, but can't we enjoy what we're also looking to protect?" Ruby's voice fell away as the first tear came down. "Can't we at least have a night where we're not Team RWBY and just be friends having fun with friends?"

With her partner's admission, Weiss came to realize that she wasn't alone in her fear. This mission is far beyond the standard scope, and everyone was afraid. Yang was scared that the pending crash would be too much for them and thus felt to the need to win, to be at their best when the crash came. Jaune was scared in that he would be leading his team and also directing RWBY if he needed to make that split decision. As much as she would never admit it, Pyrrha was scared of losing Jaune. Ren and Nora were scared of losing each other. Blake was at least on edge since she would be facing the White Fang again. And Ruby was scared that they would never be whole again.

This was technically what she wanted, Weiss reminded herself. The White Fang had taken its own toll on her family and the Schnee Dust Company, and all of this was just a chance to strike back, to begin to even the score and also have a shot at stopping the ones behind it all. But she didn't expect that her second mission would endanger innocent lives, none of them did. But Ozpin had warned them - their tasks would be unsavory at times and they would have to make choices they didn't like. Ironwood reiterated that sentiment to them yesterday during the briefing, and since then they had been rather subdued and serious.

And while she may have taken steps to coming to terms with the operation, this must have been the tipping point for Ruby. Weiss laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's bad enough that bystanders are going to be in danger, Ruby. But in what we're being trained for, with subterfuge and deceit, sometimes bad things have to happen for us to get what we really want. I don't intend to squander the opportunity given to me by those who were hurt and will be hurt, and I refuse to let anyone beyond the absolute minimum be at risk."

It was fancy wording. Weiss knew that the people who were at the wrong place at the wrong time would die, and anyone else who was in the nearby vicinity would be in mortal peril. With how Ironwood worded it, everyone else knew as well.

But this seemed to be a rallying point. The other girl straightened her back and after a short pause wiped away at her eyes. When she looked up to Weiss, ice blue eyes met determined silver ones, something she hadn't seen in a long time.

"... Then we're going to do it as a team." Ruby quietly said. But her voice began to pick up firmness again, and she continued to speak. "RWBY and JNPR will work each other so hard into the ground on the days before so we and especially you can be comfortable about letting go for the dance. Then we'll be as ready as we can be, and we'll make sure that no more civilians have to be hurt."

"And then at least one thing will be for certain," Ruby shot a small grin. "Both of our teams are going to come back and we are going to kick butt at the Vytal Tournament in two weeks."

In spite of how Weiss rolled her eyes, her face quickly fell away to a consoling smile. That much was true.

Ruby stuck her hand out to Weiss. "We got a deal, partner?"

Even one more day could have made the difference between life and death. In spite of that, Weiss found herself wanting to agree. But before she did, she felt herself staring back, mouth dry at her lofty thought. Her smile fell away and she looked back at Ruby, into her silver eyes. Her lips parted, only to close again and she felt her hands clench. But finally she spoke.

Minimal civilian casualties would be ideal, but it was also naive.

She was unsure if this was for her own assurance or for her partner's, but it still needed to be said. "Ruby," she slowly started, "I know that ideally we will protect those who can't protect themselves. But we need a contingency. If for some reason we have to choose between teammates and an innocent bystander, man, woman, elderly, child, even if they're trained or are another hunter… we choose ourselves."

Ruby's hand began to retract, her own lips becoming grim. "Weiss-"

"Think about it, Ruby," her own voice was more urgent than she realized, but she continued. "None of us want to lose each other. We're trained combatants, and we're fighting people who aren't going to think twice about taking lives. As much as I hate to say it, a civilian in a battlefield is a liability. I don't know who the person is, I don't know what they're capable of, and I don't know what they're going to do. For all I know they could have been planted there."

"But I know that I can count on the rest of RWBY and JNPR. We are trained to deal with Grimm, but our role is to specialize fighting criminals. With what we'll be doing, we're going to last longer than an untrained person on the field. And if I sacrifice you to save someone only for that person to panic and die then that's two dead people on my hands, and that's something none of us want. So promise me that we're going to uphold this ideal."

The young girl in front of her bit her lips. Weiss knew what she requested was unfair, especially for Ruby. The girl was optimistic to a fault, after all. But Weiss needed to know that she would make the right choice - saving themselves would give them a better chance at ensuring a successful mission and, by extension, save others.

When she finally spoke, Ruby's voice wavered for a moment as she stuck out her hand again. "You're the specialist in our team, Weiss. If you pick me, then promise me that you've thought of everything else first and there are no more options."

She reached out and grasped it. "For you, Ruby, it's a deal."

The walk to the infirmary was in silence. Somber words had been exchanged between the two, somber but necessary. Weiss knew that there were more things for the two of them to talk about. She still hadn't found a good time to talk to her about what really happened in Ozpin's office. But for now, she was going to handle it one piece at a time, and the concerns about Mountain Glenn came first. And before Mountain Glenn was the dance.

When Weiss was absolutely sure that Ruby wasn't going to run away and would let herself be seen, she stepped outside the infirmary doors and brought up her scroll. Looking through her contacts, she let the screen settle on a name. For a moment her resolve faltered, but she shook her head. With one final tap, she brought the piece to her ear and listened as Neptune picked up the phone.

Ironwood's final words to the two teams rang in the back of her mind.

_"With every life you sacrifice and with every life that you knowingly take, understand and accept that you have saved more."_


	15. Vigilo Confido

****Roman was ready for this conversation. He was ready when Ozpin looked him in the eye and told him that he wanted to raise a group of eight students to catch criminals. It was why he took so much time to plan everything so carefully, to do his best and make sure that he stayed out of sight of the regular student, and it was why he had taken steps to try and remain incognito. And with the Vytal Tournament drawing closer and closer, it was easy to know that Cinder was going to make her move.

He was not ready, however, to be awoken for it at three in the morning.

“Up, Torchwick.”

There was a sharp crack, and Roman felt himself snap to attention. His body rolled off the bed and away from the door on instinct. His hand fell towards his side, reaching for where Melodic Cudgel would have been before realizing where he was. He slowly rose to his full height, eyes scanning the room, checking to make sure that nothing unusual had made itself known. Finally, he glanced towards the electronic barrier that gated him from freedom for the past three months.

A trio of Atlas soldiers had greeted him, their rifles whirred and ready to fire at a moment’s notice. He took a deep breath and brought hand to his forehead. His voice was sleepier than he liked it to be. “What’s the occasion?”

“You’ll find out later.” The voice was gruff and brusque with no comfort in any way, shape, or form behind it. “Get ready and get moving.”

Roman took a deep breath, closing his eyes and reopening them. The three watched him like a hawk as he began to dress himself. Putting on a simple button up and slacks, he approached the barrier and remained still as two of the soldiers trained their guns on him while a third disabled the opaque wall. As it lowered, the ones aiming at him moved behind him. The one on his left put a hand to his shoulder.

“Walk.”

Keeping his eye trained on the soldier in front of him, he soon found himself out in the dark courtyards of Beacon. The air had become cooler since the last time he was out in the open at this time. Goodwitch had been escorting him to his room then.

There was one critical difference though - in addition to the moon being out, all campus lamps and other outdoor lights were at a minimum. They did not want anyone spotting Roman by chance. But he resisted the urge to light a cigar out of spite. Being found now, after all this time, would be counterproductive.

Finally, after a long and winding path, the three stopped outside the tallest building in the academy, the same structure that Ozpin housed his office in. With its heavily tinted doors, the only sign that something was amiss was the increase in guards. The soldiers formed a perimeter around the front in addition to a pair stationed at the entrance. As they approached, the guards parted and Roman could feel their eyes upon his back as the front door opened.

He blinked, feeling his head crane a little to the side. Blood. There wasn’t much of it, just a small pool of it gathered near the edge of the stairs. Whoever got hurt was most likely still alive. He took another breath as he stopped, looking around the rest of the tower’s main lobby. There were bullet holes, spent casings, and a few other signs of a struggle. Any bodies, however, had been vacated. With the lack of blood, he assumed that there were no actual deaths, but he could not know for sure. There was no doubt that the tower would be closed the next day.

A quick tap to his shoulder signaled for him to keep moving. Walking up a small flight of stairs arranged in a circle, he approached the elevator as the front guard entered and turned his eyes on him.

“Get in.”

While he took notes of the new dents and scratches in the equipment, the elevator itself wasn’t new to him. He had ridden this elevator on countless occasions, both as a student and in his recent time at Beacon. This time, though, he felt the machine come to an early stop. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He reminded himself that while he was prepared for this conversation, what he would show and what would happen was still up to him.

There was a soft chime, indicating that they had reached the destination. As the doors opened sideways, Roman walked out onto the floor. His eyes first sweeped left, slowly making note of the black chess piece on each screen, each one on top of a red background. He paused in his steps, slowly letting his gaze turn to the right, drinking in the fact that each screen had the same image on top of it.

Finally, he turned toward the front, where the largest screen in the room also displayed the picture. And next to it was Ozpin, his back turned towards Roman as he stared into the image. The light bounced off his dark green top, turning the front of his outfit into an unsightly mix.

The man’s shoulders rose and fell. “Leave us.”

Roman didn’t have to turn around to know that the guards were apprehensive. “Sir, leaving Torchwick here with you-”

Ozpin’s cut him off with a voice that was neither loud nor soft, but instead he spoke slowly as he enunciated each syllable. “ _Leave us._ ”

The soldiers stared at each other briefly before one of them cautiously spoke again. “U-Understood, sir. Would you like us to be at the stairwell? After what has happened tonight-”

Roman watched as the headmaster’s hand rose and fell, lightly tapping his cane against the ground. “Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. I may be old, but I am still a hunter as well as the headmaster of this academy.”’

With one final but slow nod, the soldiers entered the elevator and the door closed shut. Finally the two were alone, much like the night where Ozpin first offered him the bargain. At first the two said nothing, the two of them unwilling to broach the subject. Taking out one of his the few remaining cigars he was granted, he lit it up and took a deep breath.

Roman understood why he was here. Ozpin suspected that he knew about the attack upon the Cross Continental Transmit Tower. It would seem highly unlikely that he would be assigned tasks by Cinder and not know this part of the plan. It would risk having an uncoordinated team with objectives not known to the other. Lack of coordination and transparency risked turning allies against her, which meant that it would have been in her best interest to make sure that he knew of the plan. And Ozpin was right - he did know of the plan. He knew that she would be pulling strings at the tournament to set up the matches she needed. And at the peak of the event she would take command of communications and broadcast her message.

But Ozpin faced a problem. As much as he knew that it made no sense for Roman to not know, there was no evidence to prove that particular fact. And if there was one thing Ozpin preferred to avoid, it was acting on little to no evidence.

Roman’s hand fished for his scroll and tapped at the screen. “Hmph. Wireless communication is still functional. Whatever this thing is, it’s not meant to disrupt services. At least not yet.”

The headmaster took a deep breath. “What it is has yet to be determined, but its potential to disrupt is limitless,” Ozpin quietly replied. “This program opens up a terrible door. What we are looking at is, at its worst, a shutdown of global communications. Only local networks would be able to contact one another.” The older man turned around, and he looked up to stare into the headmaster’s eyes. “Do you know what that implies, Roman?”

“This wasn’t shared with me,” was his first response, taking another drag from his cigar. “It’s outside of my pay grade, so to speak.”

It was a lie, and both knew it. But it was a statement that Ozpin couldn’t challenge. There was no evidence available to detail his exact role outside of what he purposely shared earlier. In fact, with how little information there was in general, not even the police could challenge it. Just that statement alone, though, didn’t meant Roman was done yet. There had to have been other investigations going, and Teams RWBY and JNPR could have shared other things about him. Ozpin could have other facts that Roman himself was unaware of.

The headmaster lifted his mug of coffee to his lips. “You and I both know that this doesn’t look very good for you. I don’t think I have to tell you what will happen if your opportunity disappears.”

“Why don’t you run it by me?” Roman stated more than asked with a growing smile. “I’d like to know what I’m being accused of. Isn’t that one of my rights?”

Ozpin’s shoulders rose and fell. “To simplify, you will be facing charges of breaking and entering, armed robbery, all degrees of murder, resisting arrest, participation in as well as the management in organized crime, accessory to multiple crimes, and lying under oath.” The man turned to him, his dark pupils gazing deep against his. “Rest assured that if you are found guilty, if you aren’t hanged first you will not be leaving your cell for a long time.”

“Hmph. Not the first time I’ve heard that.” Roman’s eyes fell back to the large screen at the front. “Any reason why this couldn’t have waited until a more reasonable hour?”

It was an obvious question that he already knew the answer to. Ozpin had called Roman here to threaten him. Any information he pulled from him would be secondary. He was reminding him that he was here on his graces and that, should he wish it, the man had the power to take it away without notice. But Roman wanted to see what he would say - how Ozpin did it. It would reveal more about the man to him and what type of cards he was holding. So far he had attempted to appeal to him on a more global scale. Even if Roman did escape, with the CCT tower being sabotaged many aspects of life that he had come to accept were endangered. Life as he knew it would not return in the event of its demise.

But that had already happened. Junior already told Roman that he had lost much of the empire that he built. He technically had even less to lose than when he was first arrested. The coming chaos would give him time to escape and reestablish himself elsewhere.

“It was something that could not wait.” Ozpin finally said. “I was hoping you would be able to shed some light on a situation as dire as this.”

So it was a reactionary choice, then. The headmaster did not deliberate on his own for several days before calling him up here. He did not think to hide his actions. Instead, the man wanted to make it very clear that he was watching him. “Well,” he started, looking at his scroll again, “let’s examine what we’re up against. What are we able to discern about this… virus? And when did it infect the system?”

“We found that it hit our systems in roughly five hours ago. General Ironwood has his military engineers working to reverse engineer it, though that will take time.” Even though he wasn’t looking at the headmaster, Roman could feels his eyes upon him.

“What is known, however, is that the code seems to be based around Atlas programming and that its primary ability to spread is based off of a true-false mechanism. When an infected device comes into contact with another, it prompts the virus on the other device to send a message. If the message is not received, it sends a packet with the virus to the receiving device. And with its Atlas coding and the fact that Atlas provided the CCT towers, this virus is expected to engulf the world in less than four days.”

It would seem unlikely that Cinder would only have the virus programmed to spread and broadcast her message when the time came. But communication always left a trail. If packets were being sent to and from devices or being captured and a copy routed to a central area, a log of it should have been detectable. With the tournament only a little more than two weeks away, getting found now would be dangerous.

“Aside from its transfer mechanism, have we been able to determine if it captures any data for redirecting? If it’s collecting data for use, then it has to be funneling that data somewhere.”

“That is what the engineers are trying to determine.”

“So,” he took another puff from his cigar, “ultimately we’re left with a waiting game.” And like his previous thought, Ozpin’s primary reason was to threaten him. Roman did, however, have one concern, one that he had voiced before, and that was his presence upon the campus. “Do we know how this will impact our operation? I know that my knowledge of the White Fang base meant that I would be present to observe and provide assistance as needed. We don't need them knowing I'm here.”

Ozpin took another sip of his coffee, but otherwise the air was silent between them for a moment. “Ironwood is able to provide devices that do not require the use of the tower. Even if the virus is capable of transmitting data, your presence will not be known to your enemies. You will still be playing a minor advisory role in the operation.”

“But let me remind you, Roman.” The headmaster’s tone was no longer neutral and he found himself looking up at him. It was a rare moment of slow, controlled anger. “If you step out of line, this bargain comes to an end. I will hand you over to the authorities and you will not see the light of day again.”

“Is that a threat, Ozpin?” Roman met the man’s gaze with his lone green eye. “Keep in mind that at this point in time I’m supposed to be in Mountain Glenn getting ready for a suicide run.”

“A threat is the potential risk an object poses. I am not giving you a threat, Roman.” The man lifted the tip of his cane and let it clack against the floor. “I am giving you a promise.”

* * *

“Weiss, help me.”

It was a pathetic whimper, and Weiss rolled her eyes as she stretched her back. Her strategy of sitting in an uncomfortable manner was keeping her awake, but it wasn’t doing any favors to her body. “We’ve been over this and the answer is no. We are an hour into the last watch, Ruby, and after that we will eat with the rest of the team.”

After a long and grueling sweep of the northwest quadrant of Mountain Glenn that lasted from midmorning to late afternoon with only a small break in between, Doctor Oobleck finally gave the order for them to make camp, picking out a side of a partially exposed building room with crumbling walls to set up in. Fighting the Grimm that was in the city itself wasn’t exactly difficult. Most of them were Beowolves, weaker monsters that hoped to overwhelm the group of students through sheer numbers.

Those numbers, though, were large and attracted to the noise that they were creating, forcing them into elongated fights. In spite of the firepower of the combined teams, enough always made it through the barrage to force close quarters combat. More than once did Weiss find Jaune or Pyrrha dashing in front of her to push aside a blow with their shields. She assured them the first time that it was not necessary, but after their third encounter of the day she no longer said so, feeling the fatigue creeping up her body.

That in itself, however, was not what bothered her at the moment. She had fought countless Beowolves by now and the occasional Ursa in their classes, not to mention the many duels and team battles she had participated in. Dealing with them was not the issue.

What truly bothered Weiss was the futility of slaying Grimm. Many of these were far enough from Vale that they would not produce a credible threat to the city. And in addition to that, there was no one left in Mountain Glenn that would benefit from the ones defeated here. It was a victory for them as hunters in the moment, but a loss that they were still attempting to recover from as a society.

But that was what this operation was for, she reminded herself. It was true that the train was still going to crash into Vale. Damage and loss of life would be a variable that would have to be accounted for. But at the same time, by sabotaging what White Fang machinations they could here, it would minimize what was already planned to happen. Whatever they were planning to launch from here would be stymied and cut short.

It would be a net gain in the larger picture, though the immediate cost risked being great. Weiss hated the words she used, her words echoing what she had said in her time with Roman in the room. It was impersonal and gauged around lien, an icon associated with the Schnee family and its company. Yet she could not deny that it was the perfect comparison.

Another whine from Ruby pulled her attention away. “But I’m hungryyyyy.”

Weiss let out a frustrated growl before turning to the girl. “Be quiet. You’ll wake up the rest of the team if you’re not careful. Besides, you should have eaten your ration.”

Ruby let out a gag. “But it was gross and salty though! How did you even finish yours?”

That was a question that she chalked up to discipline ingrained from her Schnee heritage, which was odd because Weiss had grown up with only being served food made from the choicest of ingredients. That, and maybe she got lucky with her selection of beef stew. It seemed as if the stories from Winter were indeed true.

The real matter was that aside from herself, only Ren and Pyrrha were able to finish their meals on their own. Jaune and Nora struggled past the main entree with the encouragement of their partners but found no will to finish the rest of the meal besides their powdered drinks. Yang had been lucky with her choice of chili but whatever main dish Blake picked was almost immediately discarded, and the two opted to combine and share what was left of their rations.

Ruby, however, only found the drink and cookie in her meal palatable, giving up after the third bite of her chicken and rice dish. And it wasn’t even her cookie to begin with - it had actually come from Weiss’ package.

Oobleck had given the eight of them a look of mild empathy before digging into his own meal and spouting off the history of the field rations and that its purpose isn’t necessarily the pleasing of the palette but providing nutrients and calories that a soldier or hunter needed. In addition, it needed to survive physical activity, harsh environmental conditions, and required a long shelf-life in case of emergency.

Weiss made a note to look into how much resources could be spent in developing an SDC line of field rations and left out a huff. “Let’s just say it runs in the family.”

Field life was different from what she had expected, Weiss concluded. It was grueling, and with how much sweat and dirt she accumulated from just the first day, she already found counting the minutes of when she expected herself to be back in the dorm showers. It was true that as a huntress, she would be trained to endure and survive away from society, but so far that was in the local forests, where they were taught to forage and hunt for food and build campfires and find or procure sources of clean water. Weiss understood that missions were often expected to take them out of human contact and into the wilderness.

But this was outside of the standard scope that they had so far been trained for. An abandoned urban setting meant that there were no utilities running - no water, heat, electricity, or gas. If it turned on via a switch, it wasn’t going to work. But because they were in a derelict city, that also meant that no sources of food were available. Even just being in the city for one day and one night meant that they needed to carry the necessary supplies and some more just in case.

And since they were trying to remain hidden after their entry into the operation zone, that meant that there would be no fire tonight. Weiss wrapped her arms around herself, doing her best to suppress a shiver. She knew she could cover at least her legs with her blanket, but that would risk falling asleep in the wall opening she had placed herself in, which was again why she was putting such an uncomfortable strain upon her body. But any further sleep was impossible now. While still a little sore from her exertions the day before, having slept for roughly seven to eight hours had meant that she was now mostly awake.

In addition to that, however, this was the prime opportunity for her to talk with Ruby. Weiss admitted to herself that it wasn’t the best timing on her half. They were about to walk into a mission where they were expected to make decisions that would end lives. In addition, any of their teammates could be roused by their voices. But the chances to talk about her interactions with Roman had been slipping past her fingers. She had hoped she could discuss this with Ruby sooner, but every moment seemed to be busy, either with actual homework or their own preparations. Even now, his words weighed upon her mind. Ozpin’s warning to keep Roman out of her head had come too late, and now she was beginning to have her own concerns and doubts about this entire scheme to capture Roman’s partners.

Her eyes fell to her partner, who was situated at the other side of the camp and staring into the east, watching for the sun to rise. Though not as dark as before, light was still limited, but Weiss could see Ruby wrapping her red cloak around herself just a little tighter. It should have been easy to call out to her, to just say her name in a quiet manner to get her attention. But to go down this path meant that eventually she would have to admit things that she wasn’t even sure about herself.

She breathed a sigh of frustration. So many thoughts were beginning to wind into her head. What was Roman really trying to do? Why did he state that the two of them were similar, and why was it starting to feel more and more like this was the case?

Why, of all the things she could have said in that room, did she say Ruby’s name?

_“We covet first. We desire second. Only when we begin to understand what we covet can we begin to desire it, and we covet what we see.”_

It was easy for Weiss to see and know that on some relational level she had come to appreciate her partner’s presence. And it was easy to walk away, to promise herself that she would talk to Ruby later. There were too many things going on in her mind. Too many questions, too many thoughts, too much anxiety-

“Is everything okay Weiss?” she found herself freezing upon hearing her partner’s voice. “You’ve been sighing a lot since we started our watch.”

“I’ve…” her lips moved on their own accord, and she resigned herself to her fate. Her mind and body demand that she speak, and she found herself unable to deny it. “There’s been a lot on my mind recently.” All Weiss found she could do was try to stall the inevitable.

“Is it about Torchwick?”

Weiss rolled her eyes. “Isn’t everything about him these days?” But she gave another sigh and she felt Ruby’s eyes falling upon her form. She shifted in her seat to try and come to a more comfortable pose, her eyes falling to the floor. “Look, he... “ she bit her lip, trying to straighten thoughts that she wasn’t even sure she had right. “One thing that he keeps saying is how much the two of us are alike. We know how to get results, and if we desire something we take the steps needed to acquire it.”

“But… that’s applies to a lot of people, Weiss.” Ruby’s voice was suddenly closer, causing the girl to turn to her side and see her partner sit down next to her. “That even applies to me sometimes. I mean, if I really want that last cookie, you can bet you’re not going to get it.”

She shook her head. “That’s… That’s just the smaller part of it though, Ruby.” There was a brief pause, and the other girl remained still. “In that room,” Weiss struggled to continue, her heart pounding. “Torchwick said some things, made some observations. And I’m scared of what that might mean about me.”

Ruby straightened up, her voice taking a surprised edge. “Lovely dress.”

That was half of it. The other half was who would be acting upon that dress. She nodded, mouth dry, but she pushed on and continued to speak. “It’s wasn’t him complimenting me. It was him…” she uncomfortably swallowed. She had told herself that it was a risk that the man had took but didn’t pay off. “Torchwick was insinuating something about me.”

But as she reviewed herself, if this wasn’t a risk that paid off for him, why was she suddenly afraid to speak? Why did her throat feel like it was constricting and threatening to cut off her breathing? Why did her heart beat so quickly? If this wasn’t real, if this wasn’t the case, she should not have been hesitating.

Why was she so afraid to have this conversation with Ruby when it should have been nothing at all? Why did she keep pushing it off?

She clenched her fists and pushed herself to talk. “He insinuated that I’m a lesbian.”

There. It was out. And now all that was left was to wait for Ruby.

“Oh.”

A beat.

“... Was that it?”

Weiss had expected more from her partner. She cast a quick and hasty gaze at Ruby, who quickly caught on and started talking again.

“Well, I mean, when Ozpin said that whole ‘lovely dress’ thing, I thought that you and Torchwick-”

“ _Ruby!_ ” Weiss let out a scandalized hiss. “How could you even come close to believing that?”

“But I get it now!” she quickly. “Now that you mentioned that, I can see how that’s been bothering you. And I want to let you know that I don’t think that’s really you.” She let her head nod, prompting Ruby to continue. “I mean, you’ve never really shown an interest in girls. I don’t think you’re a lesbian.”

“Yeah... “ Weiss felt her eyes fall to the ground, tracing the hem of her own skirt. But in her mind she knew Ruby was not quite right, for far too many times she had felt her own blue eyes fall against her silver ones. She watched her partner like a hawk, especially now with the mission that they were on and what they were expecting to become.

“And besides, why would one moment of doubt suddenly define who you are? That’s like me saying that I want to punch things from here on out after just trying out Yang’s gauntlets once. Not gonna happen - Crescent Rose is what I’ve grown used to after so long. I’m not going to ditch it after one go.”

But it wasn’t just one moment. On more than one occasion had she taken a deep breath after looking at the girl. Images of pale skin returned to her mind, from when Ruby showed her the bruise barely a week ago to all those times she became a brief flash of pale white in their dorm room, thinking that her semblance would be enough to cover her decency.

“So see? Probably not a lesbian. And think about it. You’re at least kinda interested in Neptune, right? You wouldn’t have gone to the dance with him otherwise, even with all my bugging.”

But what even was Neptune to her? He was nice so far, and fairly clever and smart and decent-looking. But she didn’t find herself looking at much beyond that. Compared to him, Ruby was just… different. And Weiss wasn’t blind. She had gone through a crush on her own before. Neither of her current feelings towards the two of them really felt like one at this point.

But it felt like she was incomplete without Ruby. It was like a sense of belonging after being held up to standard after standard, where acceptance was just given here. And yet without her presence, there was only an empty void within her. It was a desire to be with her, but not one that craved her skin and touch. Just her presence was enough.

"And, I guess…" Ruby seemed to be losing steam, as if having run out of ideas. "I guess things can change down the road. But you have time. You have lots of time."

But would that change in the long run? Would it progress into something bigger, or would it stay?

"And if it really does change for you, where maybe you decide that you really do like girls in addition to guys or whatever... or even if you don't change, I want to be very clear on something." Ruby turned and looked her in the eyes. "You're always going to be my partner, and you're always going to be my best friend. I mean, I know I have Yang, and I know that you and I don't always come to the same conclusion. But you're my peer. I've known a few people back at Signal, but I feel like I don't know them half as well as I know you."

Weiss felt a breath of air course through her. Hearing those words felt comforting. What Ruby said hadn't cleared all the smoke and mirrors away, and certain questions now weighed heavier than ever. But at least Torchwick didn't seem so big anymore.

"And nothing will ever change that, even if you said that you were an alien from the moon."

Weiss rolled her eyes. With an outstretched arm, she gave the girl a light shove, eliciting a quick yelp from her partner. "You dolt." But her voice felt lighter than it had been in a good, long while.

When the girl looked back at her, she had a simple and easy smile. "That's the Weiss I know."

* * *

Breakfast was a more subdued affair. Perhaps it was the aches and groans of the collective company, but the meal was shared in overall silence. Knowing that today was the day, no one shunned any food on their plate, especially Ruby. Once all the trash was taken care of, they made a march to the position on Oobleck’s map. Upon arrival, they took out their weapons, performing any final checks. Cylinders sliding, clicks snapping, gears spinning.

And only once all checks were done did Oobleck begin to hand out the equipment. “Students,” he said so as he placed the remote earpiece and compact camera into Weiss’ hand, “Today, you are being asked to step above and beyond what a standard first-year team should be capable of. I will be taking an active role in this operation, but I will not be available at all times for you. However, remember this.”

His next words seemed practiced, like he had said them before again and again, but the words carried meaning. “No matter what happens today, keep in mind that you are still you, with all your strengths and all your limitations. You are still you before this started, and you will still be you afterward, no matter what choices you have to make.”

“And I am proud of all of you.”

It was a solemn declaration.

“In all honesty, Doctor Oobleck,” Jaune cautiously started speaking, putting the speaker into his ear and making sure that the camera stayed firmly in place along its top. “Do you always say that at the start of every operation?”

The thin man looked at Jaune kindly before closing his eyes. “Not all who have heard it have come back. I have learned that it rests easier with me to at least offer respite. That way, should they die, at least they had one good thing said to them.”

“Now check your scrolls and make sure that the feed is going through local channel D.” Oobleck turned towards the two team captains. “Team RWBY will use D-1 through D-4, and JNPR will use D-5 through D-8. Arrange yourselves in the order of your team name. I myself will be on D-9.”

So Ruby was D-1 and she was D-2, then. With a tap of her scroll, Weiss was able to show what image her camera produced and she tucked it back away. There was a brief scratch of static, and for a moment her heart jumped as a voice came through.

“This is General James Ironwood on Central Command. I am in charge of Operation Midnight Blue. All units report in.” The voice was crisp and formal, as she would have imagined the general to have been.

Ruby straightened her back, and looked towards her left, to the direction of Beacon. “This is Ruby Rose. Team RWBY is ready.”

“Jaune Arc here. Team JNPR is ready.”

The doctor gave a quick tap on his ear. “Dr. Oobleck reporting.”

“All feeds functional,” was Ironwood’s response. “As a review, your current objective is to break into the White Fang base and then board the train. I will be offering primary guidance for the mission. Assisting me will be Roman H.L. Torchwick, who will be providing support as needed.”

Weiss took a breath, closing her eyes and looking up to see Ruby glancing at her with reassuring nod. The idea of Torchwick providing support had bothered her at first, but after their conversation it seemed trivial compared to the task in front of them.

“By now you should be at the starting position,” The general continued. “Once you break through the ground, you’ll land on top of a short building. From there, Team JNPR, Blake and Yang will attempt to advance onto the train, using local cover. Ruby will then enter the opening and provide sniper support while Weiss will assist with spotting and protection.”

Personally she did not like her role in this part of the mission. As a swordwielder, being on sniper assistance meant she wasn’t with the actual team, where her specialization with dust would have been useful. But it was necessary. While Ruby might have been able to remove certain threats to the advancing team, she needed someone to protect her as well. And much to her surprise, Blake agreed with the decision at the time. The White Fang recognized her as a Schnee. If she was noticed, she would be an immediate target. It would be best to keep herself hidden until the last moment.

Besides, with Ruby’s semblance and her glyphs, the two shared the fastest combined speed of everyone. Crossing the distance to get to the train would be a joke for the two of them.

“Are we all clear?”

Ruby’s eyes fell upon the assembled squad of RWBY and JNPR once more. “We’re all set.”

“Then let Operation Midnight Blue commence. And remember - accident.”

Jaune took a deep breath as he moved a bit away from the group. “Don’t have to tell me twice.” Putting his weapon away, he looked at Yang. With a firm nod from the other, the girl pulled her arm back, Ember Celica priming a shot. With a quick running leap, she let her fist strike the ground and fire. A brief surge of heat washed over Weiss as the ground beneath the blonde pair cracked and gave way, letting them tumble into the darkness. There was a brief scream from Jaune and then a thud.

Hopefully they didn’t make it a real accident. Following the plan, Pyrrha moved over to the opening and shouted. “Jaune! Yang! Are you alright?” But with her free hand, she was already motioning to Nora, Ren, Blake and Oobleck to prepare for the next entry.

“Yeah!” Jaune yelled. There was a collective wince as his voice came through the earpiece. “But we’re stuck down here. I don’t even know what this place is.”

“Don’t worry, just stay there!” Pyrrha shouted. “I’ll get the professor and-”

Nora slammed her hammer down, creating an even bigger hole and sending the five of them down into the ruined city.

“Ground team is in,” Ruby reported. “Yang, Blake, give me a sweep of the city.”

“I can’t see anything yet. What about you, Blake?”

“Sniper tower to the northwest. Can’t miss it. And we should get going. White Fang are going to start shooting at any minute.”

There was a crack of bullets, and felt her hand tighten on Myrtenaster.

“Correction, they’re shooting right now! Shield up!” Jaune yelled.

“It’s time to roll everyone, get ground level and start running! Vomit boy’s aura won’t last forever!”

More gunshots and the rumbling of explosions sounded beneath Weiss’ feet. She let her glance fall onto Ruby once more, who was taking a deep breath and already had Crescent Rose partially deployed as its sniper rifle counterpart.

The general’s voice came through, and Weiss couldn’t have acted any sooner. “Ground team is beginning to make its way to the train. Distance looks to be about seven hundred meters and closing. Begin sniper coverage.”

With one final shared nod, the two of them leapt down into the hole. Though Weiss landed gracefully in a kneel, Ruby blasted past her in a flutter of rose petals, quickly moving towards the north side of the building. Wasting no time, her eyes locked onto the tower Blake had pointed out, and she moved to aim her rifle.

But as she lined up her sights to take the shot, the girl took another deep breath. She blinked, scrunching her eyes and swallowing. Her finger curled up against the trigger, but her knuckles were white. Weiss moved up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder as gently as possible so as to not affect her aim.

“I’m right here, Ruby. And this changes nothing.”

Her partner didn’t look up, but she blinked one more time. Ruby sucked in her breath and held it.

She watched as her partner pulled the trigger, taking her first life.

There was a small pause before she spoke. “Enemy sniper is down,” The small girl gulped. “I repeat, enemy sniper is down, no further movement. You are clear to advance.”

* * *

_Position compromised, beginning op_

It was the only message Neo could “afford” to send Cinder. The woman had sent a return message, demanding what had happened, but all she did was tap in several letters without sending it. The only thing that woman would see is that a message was being written, and nothing else.

She was dressed in a red leather waistcoat and black pants. It wasn’t her preferred set of colors and outfits, but she admitted to herself that it matched her curly black hair. Her umbrella, though, was still the same, pink and red laces. That itself would never change.

There was another explosion, the seventh and final one. Neo looked up from the where she stood, leaning against the door between the steel train. It was spartan in design and built for heavy duty, which made sense. Much of the train parts were lifted from the ruins itself, and Mountain Glenn needed strong and sturdy pieces of equipment towards the end of its lifespan. These were all refurbished and redesigned military cargo trains.

They were moving fast enough that Grimm wouldn’t be a problem. Not for a good ten minutes or so after impact. And with the pace that the two teams were moving it, they should be able to clear out any White Fang on this train between the two of them. But the hard part was beginning now. They may have been the best students of their year, but this would be where their mettle would be tested.

There was a small yell, a command it seemed. Neo looked up, her eyes settling to the cool onyx that she had used when she first met that tall blonde boy. Reaching for her umbrella, she spun the upper portion onto the top of her shoulder, and watched the sliding door open.

Blue eyes, clear as the ocean. The first to come out was that blonde boy, Jaune Arc. He looked a little ragged and the shield he carried had more than a few marks from bullets. Nothing minor maintenance couldn’t handle. Otherwise he seemed fine.

Green eyes, clear and sharp, like an emerald. Blood red hair. Immaculate in her form. Pyrrha Nikos. Perhaps the most dangerous of them so far. The term tournament winner wasn’t just for show, and the full extent of her skills was not listed. She would need to approach this one with caution.

Another green, this time soft like the forest, followed by a strange pink. The green one stepped ahead of the one with pink after her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than it did on her.

Team JNPR. She didn’t have their names besides the first two, but she knew who they were as a team. They continued to pull forward, though, and the second team came up to their side. This one Neo was more familiar with. Team RWBY. She had encountered them on that night, and took the time to read up on them.

Lilac eyes. Flowing blonde mane. Yang Xiao Long, the one dealt the final blow against Paladin, utterly smashing it to pieces. But she was a brute in all her facets. Technique would triumph.

Amber. Black bow, straight black hair. Blake Belladonna. Faunus. Ex- White Fang officer, once right hand of Adam Taurus. Dangerous, but more for what she knew rather than what she was capable of. Blake was trained, but Neo was better.

Ice blue eyes. White hair. White skirt and boots. Weiss Schnee. Her target to try and watch. Above average skill in raw combat, but her most dangerous aspect was her ability to manipulate dust, which could catch her off guard. But she wasn’t here to fight them. Just here to rendezvous before starting her own part of the operation.

She turned her gaze to the last one.

Silver eyes.

Neo paused and blinked.

Silver eyes.

She had doubted at first. Taking cautious steps, she moved closer towards the girl. Ruby Rose. The image in the Hunter database wasn’t so clear, and it said that she had silver eyes, but now here it was in front of her.

Silver. Eyes.

Neo’s umbrella fell to her side as she walked closer to Ruby, the handle clattering out of her grip. Her head tilted to the side, eyes blinking and gauging the smaller girl, who was clutching her scythe tightly in her small hands.

She took a deep breath. She could feel her own aura jumping into her fingertips, getting ready to use her semblance, her real semblance, and take what she had wanted for so long.

**_Silver-_ **

“Hey!”

A sudden hand fell against her shoulder, and everything ground to a halt. Neo blinked once, twice. Then she looked to where the hand was leading to. Ice blue eyes. Weiss Schnee.

“You remember the mission details, don’t you?”

Not here, not now. There would be another time. There would always be another time.

A second deep breath, and she smiled. Turning away, she slowly knelt down and picked up her umbrella. Spinning to face them, she gave a small curtsy before pushing off with her legs and disappearing in a small flash.

Taking those silver eyes for herself could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Thanks for everyone sticking by with the chapters so far. A lot of these were already posted on Fanfiction.net, so that means that my individual notes as well as my writing thought process is visible there. i find that AO3's chapter notes system doesn't really facilitate how I want to show my notes though while incorporating the omakes/after-chapter teasers, so for now I'll most likely be leaving them blank.
> 
> But since we're finally up-to-date here, I'll be able to start copy-pasting the notes and trying to make it so that they are in-context to how AO3's formatting works. This will literally be copy-paste from Fanfiction.net in most cases, though, so until the next chapter this might appear a little choppy.
> 
> Anyway, White Rose. I've been sitting on this conversation in the back of my head and I think it's time that I at least try to address it.
> 
> I'll be honest and say that in RWBY, while I do enjoy the White Rose ship and probably am partial to it, I find that I'm not zealous about it. I don't have to read White Rose and burn everything else, but having the ship in there does attract me to the story. But I think I've gotten to the point where I'm not caring too much about ships because ship happens.
> 
> What I do care about, though, is how relationship development is written by the author between two characters. And I'll be honest - in this fandom, I feel like for many ships, and especially in White Rose in particular, I'm having trouble locating stories that feel realistic in the relationship. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a severe lack of realism in the shipping department for RWBY. It's probably rampant in a lot of ships in general, but because I like and read White Rose I see it in here the most. I'm sad that I'm not seeing the character-driven growth I want to see in a story, either in or out of a relationship. But that's okay. We're all posting here because we're here to improve or because we honestly enjoy writing. But as a consequence, I'm trying to do what I want to see in my story, which is fine since it's my fic, after all. I can technically do what I want with it to explore who I am as a writer and what I would like to accomplish.
> 
> (My only real concern is if I'm taking away the light from Roman, but I think because Weiss is acting in regards to Roman, it's still on him but just from another perspective. Hell, even Weiss reviewing her sexuality is still in regards to Roman in some extent, so everything still really is about him.)
> 
> I'm not saying that we should always write super-complex stories. Sometimes a simple one is okay too. As long as it's believable to me, I'll like it. And at the same time, there are are some stories in RWBY that do try to explore this in a mature and thoughtful manner but fall short for me for some reason. They come off as melodramatic with characters being in-character for the situation but with little to no meaningful character growth for that situation. Maybe I'm just extra picky after all these years of reading and writing, but at the end of the day, anyone can write something in-character. But in-character growth that is beyond just melodrama is what I would really like to see.
> 
> And that's what is happening here. White Rose doesn't occur when they kiss, but throughout the story and in stages. Just like how there is bromance, there are women who share a deep, platonic relation with one another. This is true because chances are you probably have this type of relation with someone, regardless of gender. To deny it and only write where they get together feels like we're missing out on an experience as a fandom. We're missing out on that crucial middle part where the two characters realize that they're comfortable with each other. And so that's why I'm writing White Rose the way I am in here - with a lot of real doubts and questions about the self and progressing in stages. And I'm trying to do it in the context of both what is given canon as well as the established context I have in here. I've taken almost all the common points that people build White Rose upon, had Ruby tear them down and point out why Weiss isn't a lesbian in canon, but then have Weiss back it up with her own realizations that are in context to this particular story. I won't say that they will or won't hitch, and I won't say that my way is the right way for all the stories. But I think that in this case it works.
> 
> (I'll be honest and also say that I'm not sure that what I have here will actually achieve what I want plot- and tone-wise, but I'm trying. Even if in the end it's not quite what I want I know I tried and I can be happy with that.)


	16. Kill Confirmed

**Kill Confirmed:**

Eighteen.

While Roman wasn't able to watch every screen, he was able to follow along with the conversations being thrown about the team members. And based on what he had seen and heard, the total amount of White Fang combatants killed was at eighteen. The first three was with Ruby sniping away at distant enemies that were targeting the ground team. At least four more were crushed under a collapsed building courtesy of Nora's grenades, and Pyrrha downed two of them with her own rifle.

After boarding the train and rendezvousing with Neo, the two teams were in a separate environment, one that favored close combat. With Jaune's newly displayed ability to generate a barrier, he made the decision to have JNPR and Professor Oobleck travel on top of the train, where he would be able to create a safe area for his team to gather behind. RWBY was to course through the compartments.

The first area held nothing while the second contained only three guards that Ruby and Blake were quick to separate and pick off. Meanwhile, JNPR encountered nothing save an empty expanse in the dark tunnel.

It was the next six, though, that were most spectacular.

Roman knew it was coming, as they hadn't seen any so far. But since there were no obstacles to handle on top of the train, Jaune's team was able to travel faster compared to RWBY. After some time on top the of the compartments, JNPR finally hit resistance.

"Bad news, Ruby!" he yelled over the channel, "We got Paladins on board! Lots of Paladins!"

There were five of them on their feeds.

"Are you going to be okay up there?" her worried voice came through. But to this Jaune shook his head.

"We'll be fine!" Roman watched as the boy slammed his shield down once again before shooting a quick glance at his partner. "It's all yours, Pyrrha!"

The redhead gave a quick nod towards her leader before putting her weapons away. It was curious, and there was no doubt that the others at Central Command were watching her screen. As bullets began to pelt away at Jaune's shield, missiles were quickly launched in addition once the pilots saw that they were doing no real harm to him.

But as they were converging on Jaune's point, they missiles suddenly redirected and flew past him, detonating harmlessly in the air behind the team. Pyrrha's arms were raised, and there was a small, dark glow emanating from her hands. Turning to the closest Paladin, one hand moved over it, as if it grip it.

With a grunt of exertion, Pyrrha's hand moved, throwing the whole machine off the train.

Roman felt his back straighten. But the girl did not stop there. Turning her gaze onto the other Paladins, she manipulated another off of the train, watching it crash and tumble into the tunnel behind them. The other three mechs began to fire again, the operators no longer dazed by what had happened and merely focusing on attacking the team. The closest two were cast aside in due time, but the final one let loose one final stream of bullets at Jaune.

He let out a quick grunt of pain as one of them grazed his leg. While his aura would quickly cover and heal it, it was clear that even his endurance was beginning to wear thin. A quick glance at his gauge told Roman that he was starting to dip below fifty percent. He redoubled his efforts and angled himself better behind his shield, doing his best to hide his more important points.

But Pyrrha had already seen enough and started to act. This time with both hands, they extended and positioned themselves around the Paladin's sides in her vision. The machine came to a grinding halt. Her hands began to part, as if splitting a sheet of paper, and soon there was the sound of distending metal. With a mighty snap and a metallic screech, the Paladin was bisected and thrown into the sides.

This got Roman to think, his mind returning to the dossier that contained the students' information. It was not made known on whether or not Pyrrha had a semblance, but it hinted that it was most likely present. However, the document had failed to state what it might be. His thoughts raced as they tried to piece together what it was exactly he saw. She was able to manipulate the missiles and the actual body of the Paladins themselves, complicated pieces of machinery and dust.

He didn't know what it was in the end, but he knew that if he ever had to fight her, it was best to avoid such tactics for now. Watching her screen and hearing her slightly winded breath at least told him that when it came to heavy pieces, moving them left a strain on her. He filed the information away for more thought later.

The sixth kill, though, was what got him smiling.

A moment afterward, RWBY entered the next train and they once again began to methodically swept through the cart. There were only boxes at first, no visible White Fang in the area. But as Ruby stepped too close to one of them, a particularly well-hidden enemy leaped from beneath the cover and tackled her to the ground. The girl let out a quick scream. There was a flash of a dagger and it slammed down onto her stomach. Her aura protected against the brunt of it, the blade falling to the side and failing to slice anything, but her monitor showed a significant drop. She tried to fight back, but a quick fist collided with the side of her head, dazing her and leaving her open for another strike.

Weiss was the first to react. She made a move, spinning the cylinder on Myrtenaster as she ran over. Blake took the first shot, but missed when the assailant moved his body as he struck their leader. It was Yang who finally connected, throwing her body into the unknown Faunus with a mad scream. The two entered into a tumble with Yang coming out on top. The person below her tried to fight back, but she was in a position of power, immediately knocking the knife out of the guard's grip.

With one hand holding down the enemy's shoulder, Ember Celica primed and she made the first blow, the shot sending a sharp crack across the face mask. It prepared itself for another one, and the second strike destroyed it, sending the white shards in separate directions to reveal a dazed face. Hands crawled upon her body, trying to fight back and push her off. But with one final angling of her body, Yang pulled her arm as far back as she could before unleashing all her might on the unprotected head.

Bang.

To Roman's viewing pleasure, Weiss's camera had quickly turn away, but it could not hide the sound. He likened it to a wet crunch, like an apple being smashed.

He knew the exact word running through Yang's mind as he watched the blonde girl's camera feed, slowly gliding from the blood and over onto the faces of her teammates.

_Monster._

The rest of the team looked at her, but he was most interested in seeing Weiss' view, to know and absorb what she was seeing. The blond girl breathed heavily. After some time she tried to stand, but could only push herself backward from the body, falling onto her backside. She blinked. She tried to wipe the blood off her fist onto anything but herself.

Killing someone with a bullet was one thing. Slicing them with blades was another. But feeling a body break at one's fingertips existed on a whole nother plane of visceral perception.

It was Blake that eventually moved, sidling up to her from the side. "Don't think about it."

Yang's mouth opened and closed, and she tried to speak, but the only things that came out were jumbled words.

Blake leaned forward and grasped her shoulder, shaking it a little. "Listen to me, Yang. Don't think about it. We can talk later when we're done here."

With the exchange made, Roman set his gaze back onto Weiss' camera. He found her glancing at the handle of Myrtenaster, slowly turning the blade, contemplating something. Was she considering herself a failure for not acting in time? Was she perhaps wondering if she would have gone to that length? Would she have absolutely destroyed the enemy? Ruby was her partner after all, and he had no idea if his guess about her had paid off. There was a strong bond of friendship. That much was visible, but whether there was something more had yet to be seen.

However, that was the highlight of the mission for Roman so far. The kills had been astounding to watch for Team RWBY, and seeing the girls' uncomfortable growth was making him want to smile. Ruby double-checked every corner after that run-in, and Yang had grown silent, eyes glued to the floor. Blake kept glancing at her partner, doing a quick double-take when the blonde's eyes flashed red for a moment.

To his disappointment, though, he didn't get to see Weiss score a kill so far. And with how the train was going to come to an eventual end, it might not happen. He had hoped to see how she would act, but it appeared that it would not be the case.

As they progressed into another cart, the team found themselves staring at fallen White Fang members. At first the girls didn't know what had happened here and reached out to JNPR, who were now clearing the empty tops of the train. But Roman knew Neo's wetwork when he saw it. Throats cut, hearts and other organs stabbed. Neo liked clean - it kept the blood off of her form.

But a body was launched through the door opposite of them, and in the wake of it was his partner in crime. All cameras ignored her, however, and became glued to the man, watching as he twisted painfully, struggling to stand.

"Perry."

It was Blake's voice that came out in the silence and Roman felt his eyes narrow. He knew the name of that Faunus. It was someone that he had worked with before, and found ire in. But for Blake to know that name as well…

"Y-You…" he gargled, "Of course it'd be you…"

The other three cameras turned to Blake and then back to the man. The team said nothing amongst each other, but he could feel the intensity with which the two Faunus were sharing with each other.

Finally, the man spoke. "A-Adam… he'll get you, Blake. It won't be like other turncoats. He'll carve you up nice and slow in person." He scoffed through his pain, almost laughing. "Adam's gonna-"

Like a flashing shadow, Blake drew her weapon and the blade went through his neck.

But Roman had heard enough. This was the next key to his plan. With the train operation ultimately foiled, Cinder's hand would be forced. She would need to either try and salvage the operation or otherwise delay it. The White Fang was her backbone, providing manpower where she herself could not act through. It was only her powers that kept them in line.

This was a turning point. They would realize that she was not invincible, that she could not blindly promise them the world. With the right words, the White Fang would withdraw their forces, but he needed them to do so at the last moment. It would force her to be vulnerable, to be exposed when she least expected it.

Rising from his seat, Roman gently set the earpiece down and moved towards the tinted window of the CCT tower. While the place was still under investigation, it was the most secure location that they could move him to while still having the capability to conduct the operation. Looking over towards the south side of Vale, he kept his eye on the horizon.

By now RWBY had recovered from the situation, and JNPR had joined them in the cart. Impact would commence in one minute.

"Sir," an operator called out to Ironwood, "based on trajectory and vector calculations, Cell C of Delta Company's patrol route will carry them right into the point of impact."

Sparing a small glance at the general, he watched as the man closed his eyes and breathed deep. His posture did not change, but Roman watched as his hands softly clenched.

"Vigilo Confido."

The operator said nothing. In fact, he seemed taken aback by the general's decision. However, the operator recovered and returned a quick nod. "Understood. Vigilo Confido."

Eye still on the skyline, he slowly heard the crackling of ice dust shortly followed by the another operator counting down.

"Impact in three, two, one-"

There was a dulled boom coming from the southeast, and soon sirens began to fill the air.

"We have breach."

Slowly, smoke began to rise to the sky.

"Status on RWBY and JNPR," the general called out.

"... Vital signs are in tact. Cameras D-4 and D-7 no longer transmitting. Operatives are green, and we have movement."

"And status on Cell C?"

"... All vitals lost. Death upon impact, no survivors."

Watching as the black plume went higher and higher into the sky, Roman found himself smiling. "Congratulations RWBY and JNPR - you're past the hard part."

The two teams had survived. They followed a mission plan and fought through a terrorist organization. But more importantly, they delivered the next step.

Roman would use Blake to manipulate Adam Taurus.

* * *

Weiss had seen the Grimm in class, with diagrams on their weaknesses and strengths. She had fought them in controlled environments, where an instructor or another teammate could step in and provide assistance, not that she ever needed it. She was given only the best training money could afford, and her additional time at Beacon had so far proved fruitful.

But seeing Grimm pouring out onto the streets was another.

It was not controlled. Her teammates and Doctor Oobleck were there to help her followed by more reinforcements, but the first moments were full of chaos. There weaknesses were not apparent and drawn upon a diagram. They were hidden behind the strengths each type possessed and suddenly very inaccessible to her. Finally, her training was nearly lost and forgotten behind her own fear. Even though she had more aura compared to the others at the time, only three quarters of it stood between her and a swift death.

And the screaming. She could see no civilians by the time she fully roused herself, but Weiss could hear them. A few Grimm had found no interest in their recovering state and instead had ambled outside of a shop. The voice from the people inside reached her ears in panicked screams, and all she could think of was how the screaming would entice the beasts even further.

Thankfully, Pyrrha was the first to recover and had already made her way towards the shop. But that was just one shop. There were other shops, other screams, other people cowering in fear. All she could do was rally herself and try to act. But there were many shops. There were many more screams.

By the time reinforcements arrived in the shape of trainee hunters, professors, and Atlas Military, Weiss had found herself with sagging shoulders. Any White Fang resistance seemed to have been wiped out prior to impact, but the Grimm horde was something all of its own. When Professor Goodwitch finally sealed up the entrance and all the remaining monsters were dealt with, she made sure to give the entire area one more scan.

The shops were still ruined, but it was nothing that a flick from the professor couldn't fix. There were people huddled and crying, but ultimately safe. There had to have been deaths - Weiss could see the blood on the street - but it didn't seem horrible. Casualties at least looked to be at a minimum.

Finally, her eyes fell over the two teams. Pyrrha was seated with her legs splayed out in front of her, and for once looking tired, next to a sweaty and prone Jaune. His form was laying flat on his back as Ren and Nora stood above him. He had taken up the brunt of their defense, and she could say without a doubt that he played a critical role in the mission. The team, though, at least seemed somewhat pleased with themselves. Getting onto the train without him would have been nearly impossible.

But as she looked onto her own teammates, she found herself wishing that Team RWBY could match half of JNPR's poise. Where most teams might have celebrated, it was clear that the mission had left a much different impression upon the four of them.

Yang was staring at the palm of her hand. The adrenaline had finally started to wear off from the entire mission, and all she was left with now was that wet crunch playing over and over again. Blake remained ever quiet, having retreated to the shade of a building wall and taken a seat at its base. And while the Faunus remained placid, Weiss' mind churned over how she had ended that final person's life. It was cold, calculated, and efficient. She tried to remind herself that Blake didn't have the same privileges as she did. She tried to remember that Blake had to fight to live sometimes. But seeing her kill 'Perry' as quickly as she did was still unnerving.

Finally, her eyes turned upon Ruby. The girl had folded away her weapon and strapped it beneath her cape again. Her gaze was turned towards the floor, and while the two of them were of similar height, the way Weiss' partner had tucked her arms against her stomach made her small. It was as if she had curled in on herself.

Tracing where her silver eyes were looking at, however, made Weiss stiffen. Ruby was looking at something in front of her. And as she focused on it more and more, Weiss came to realize that it was a hand. Not a hand that was moving. Not a hand holding a weapon. Not a hand attached to a person that was crushed beneath rubble.

There was just the hand.

"He wasn't going to make it."

Weiss' head snapped back to Ruby, and ice blue met soft silver again. "What?" she struggled to ask.

"He… There were two Ursas around him," she swallowed hard. "He was panicking, and they just kept getting closer and closer." One hand unclasped from her body and pointed towards her right. "And you were over there. You didn't see the Beowolf behind you."

Weiss remembered that moment. She had dashed off to another part of the square they ended up in. She had thought that Ruby simply followed after her, but now she knew otherwise. Her eyes fell to the ground.

"That's when I chose to believe he wasn't going to make it."

"Ruby…" Weiss could barely speak, could barely accept what her leader said.

"You said it best." Ruby tried to smile, but it was just a jumble of pain on her lips. It sickened her and Weiss wanted her partner to stop. "If it were to come to that, we choose ourselves. We chose ourselves throughout this entire mission. We fought for ourselves and we killed for ourselves."

Her leader's voice hitched, and then the tears came. "And in that moment, I chose you." Ruby's body began to double over. "You're my best friend, Weiss. That's never going to change. And I will… I'll always choose you. Always, always, always."

With that final word, Ruby's hands covered her eyes, and she began to cry in earnest. Weiss had never felt so useless in her life. The cool metal of Myrtenaster was not enough to stop hordes of Grimm with ease. It was a blade designed for duels, for single encounters. And what good was her hunter training if all it did was put her in danger and resulted in the loss of those she supposed was to protect? And as terrible as it was after all this, she never even had the opportunity to directly attack a member of the White Fang herself - one of the goals she had set so highly for herself. All she did was watch the others do the work from the back, not unlike her father.

She was responsible for the death of this person. She was responsible for the death of Ruby's ideals.

It was as if she should have never left Atlas in the first place.

* * *

While there was still time in the day, it was decided that the two teams would have their debriefing the next morning. There were many things to clean up in regards to the operation, not to mention the populace would need a response over the attack. The Vytal Festival, an international event, was looming ever nearer and nearer. Even though it was an accident generated on purpose by the academy and Atlas Military, a proper cover-up was needed. They also needed to arrange the 'successful' apprehension of Neo, which was its own can of worms.

More importantly, though, security needed to be overhauled. Patrol routes and checkpoints into and out of Beacon Academy, where the tournament would be hosted, were to be added. The public needed to know that this wouldn't happen again. General Ironwood didn't have the time for a debriefing.

Weiss was personally glad that it would be held off until the next day. While a debriefing would have helped process her thoughts further, it would be at the direction and influence of someone else. She wanted to keep her thoughts and interpretations to herself just a bit longer, even if it meant languishing in her own negativity for now. That way she could maybe at least come to her own conclusions first in preparation for the questions that would come. But it did little to put her thoughts to rest. All it did for her was acknowledge that while she performed to the expectations and standards required by the mission, she had failed to find opportunities go beyond that.

The flash of a knife flew through her mind, and she felt her fists tighten.

The first thing the two teams did after a quick visit to the infirmary was to try and get a meal in their stomachs. Combat had pushed the concept of nourishment out of their minds, and now that it was over it was time to eat. And considering the last meal they had, while providing the necessary nutrients, it was ultimately less than palatable for her. Weiss found herself stacking her salad more than usual with an additional helping of dressing. Rations be damned.

But when the two teams finally sat down and began to eat, there was a notable silence between the two teams. And while silence wasn't uncommon between the two at times, many of the other hunter teams were still on their missions. The quietness of the cafeteria only amplified their own. She herself rarely contributed, but the lack of dialogue between the two teams felt thick with unsaid words and feelings.

So instead of just silently listening, Weiss found herself trying to observe everyone at the table, being careful to only stare in brief and between bites. Yang, usually one of the most ravenous eaters of the bunch, had settled for bread with a bowl of thick chowder, devoid of anything red in front of her. It was easy to see that her kill on the train was still nagging away at the back of her mind, but at least she had the sensibility to try and eat. It would come to the surface soon and be dealt with, but she would be ready. If there was someone that could rebound the easiest, Yang was probably the one. It might take time, but it would happen eventually.

Jaune, on the other hand, ate quickly and his head was now starting to bob up and down. More than once did his face threaten to fall upon his empty plate. Normally Pyrrha would have been able to help him, but she was equally engrossed in her food. It wasn't abnormal for her to eat a lot as well. As a tournament fighter turned hunter, the days of her tougher duels and battles made her eat as much as Yang sometimes. But where she might have smiled then, there was only a frown now. Finally setting her fork to the side, her gaze fell to her partner just in time to catch him and keep his face off of the dish.

With a sigh, she spoke up, a bare hint of an embarrassed smile on her lips. "Sorry, I know we tend to share meals together, but I think Jaune and I will excuse ourselves."

No one really responded. Only nods went their way. As the pair stood up, Weiss saw Pyrrha frowning again as she glanced at the bloodied stain on Jaune's jeans. She felt herself stiffen as she was reminded again that blood was spilled today. She couldn't account for the rest of JNPR, but the rest of her teammates had done so.

Her appetite waned at the thought, but she kept eating. It couldn't bother Weiss. It wouldn't bother her. Her teammates did what they needed to do. She ultimately would find herself doing the same thing if she were in their position.

" _That's when I chose to believe he wasn't going to make it."_

Her eyes shifted to her leader. Ruby had recovered from her crying eventually, but so far had remained very silent. Her food was eaten, but Weiss reminded herself that what was there paled in comparison to her normal selection of everything sweet the dining hall offered. She wanted to speak, but she knew that this wasn't the place. It was best to wait for somewhere more private before they talked about anything.

Between the four of them, only Blake seemed the closest to normal, but it was easy to see that she seemed just as tense as Weiss was. While her bow wasn't twitching, they were instead standing straight up against her hair, as if alert for something.

A few more minutes of silence passed before them when Ruby finally stood up. "I think I'm going to call it. It's been a long day for all of us."

"M-Me too," Yang quickly sprang up from her seat as well. And with that it was as if there was a silent agreement between Blake and Weiss that this was the time to move. With no more than a nod to each other, the team bid farewell to Ren and Nora and began to make their way to their dorm. They walked in silence through the empty hallways, as if barely registering what was around them.

But right as they approached their door and Ruby was about to swipe it open, Yang finally spoke. "Torchwick... in our… in our interview, he called me a monster." She had been looking at the floor, but soon her eyes were scanning across the three of them. "That's… that's not me, right?"

Weiss had been preparing to try and say something if the conversation came up. And judging by Blake's resolute stare and frown, she had been trying to say something as well. But neither of them had expected to hear Torchwick's name thrown in there. Weiss knew that Roman had carefully picked his lines in her interview with him, but to this point they had remained mostly private between the four of them. Yang's admittance, though, seemed to fall in line with something more sinister from the man. She would need to ask the others and see what was shared with them.

"That's one of the more foolish things I've heard you say, Yang." The words left Weiss' mouth sooner than she would have liked, and judging by how sharply Blake turned to her, left ribbon flicking down, it was a shared sentiment. But it was the truth to her. Torchwick might have called her that, but it didn't change the reason why she did it. "You did it to protect Ruby. I don't think that's something a monster would do."

The blonde shook her head, her locks swaying side to side. "It's not just that. I mean… the way it… what happened there was..." she raised her right hand and looked at it, as if acknowledging it for the first time since the time on the train. "I… I can't even-"

"You did nothing wrong, Yang," Weiss did her best to deliver her line calmly, crossing her arms across her body. "You did what anyone in their right mind would have done."

"Hey," Ruby's small voice echoed through the hall and all three of them turned to face her. "I know that you mean well, Weiss, but…" her eyes drifted to her sister and then back to her. "Can Yang and I have some time alone?"

It was a sudden request, and Weiss felt caught off guard. She had thought that after she walked Ruby through her near breakdown when they were doing the information trade with Neo she would have understood what she was trying to explain to Yang. But here her partner was taking an adamant stance against that approach. She could feel the frown on her own lips. She didn't quite believe in babying. Sure, she was born amongst riches, but that didn't mean she wasn't required to live up to expectations. She didn't get this far being coddled - none of them did. She believed in facing challenges head-on because challenges incited growth. Overcoming difficulties made one realize how far they could really go.

Yet seeing the earnesty in her eyes made her hesitate.

Ultimately, though, it was Blake that pulled her out of her thoughts. A soft hand fell onto her shoulder and the girl stepped into view. "How much time will you need?"

"I-I don't know." Ruby shook her head. "I'll message you."

With a simple nod, the two of them left the sisters to themselves in the dorm room. Perhaps she was being pushy, but she was ultimately doing it out of the idea that Yang would start to come back to herself. But it was clear that Ruby and Blake didn't interpret it that way. She closed her eyes, telling herself to breathe. Maybe this was something the two sisters needed to share together - to remind themselves that what happened was necessary for the other. Ruby had killed to protect Yang, and Yang had done the exact same to protect Ruby.

She breathed again.

Weiss wanted to say a lot of things to her partner. She wanted to go over the mission with her, point out areas of improvement for both of them. She wanted to go over that nutrition during a mission, no matter how bad it might taste, was important.

But ultimately she wanted to thank her. Ruby said she stopped a Beowolf for her. It was just a Beowolf - Weiss didn't think that it alone would have been a struggle. But she hadn't noticed it, and even with that much of her aura remaining at the time it could have led to severe harm. And this time she actually wanted to speak with Ruby instead of it usually being the other way around. It was Weiss worming her way in to try and find an opening. Except now, in perhaps the first time she had tried to actively speak with the girl out of proactive concern instead of reactive scolding, she had been pushed away.

She tried to remain calm, but all it left was a surge of frustration as she followed Blake down the hallway.


	17. A Time of Decisions

Weiss should have known the two of them would end up at the library. She had seen the girl put away book after book throughout the whole semester - the setting that she found herself in was only natural. And with the added fact that many of the other students were still on their missions, there was prime real estate to be found in the building. No one would be here to bother them and it would be a great time to get started on the reading assignments they both had.

But no matter how hard Weiss tried to focus on the task at hand, she found that there was still a source that was taking her attention away from the page she was trying to decipher for the last hour - herself. With another heavy breath, she closed her eyes and tried to start reading from the top. Try as she might, though, nothing seemed to stay. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up and found herself staring back into the eyes of her other teammate.

Blake's ribbon flicked a little. A sign of annoyance, she recalled, though she was unsure of just how annoyed she was. "You're sighing again."

She felt her cheeks warm up at the accusation. "Is it that noticeable?"

"You've been sighing non-stop since we came here, Weiss." Blake turned back towards her book. "I didn't think this much sighing could be possible but you're starting to make me question myself."

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as a frown crept up her lips. "Sorry I'm being a nuisance then."

This time the dark-haired girl sighed, slapping her book shut with a clap and sliding it to the side. When she looked back up at her again, her amber gaze fell onto hers. "Did you want to talk?"

The response had honestly caught her by surprise. "Excuse me?"

Blake kept her voice calm, almost flat. "About the mission, the White Fang, anything. We're a team after all."

"And you're my counselor all of a sudden?"

This time her ribbon fidgeted fiercely and her gaze sharpened a bit. "I'm not a counselor, but don't forget where I come from. I've seen how a first mission can affect someone."

Oh, right. Blake was a part of the White Fang. Willing herself to be still, Weiss closed her eyes and counted to three before opening them. "I can't believe I forgot that."

"Hmph," she smirked. "For better or for worse?"

Weiss didn't answer, letting the girl keep her mild yet smug look on her face. "Let's get down to the business part." She leaned back over the table, pushing her own book aside as well. Folding her hands in her lap, she looked at them briefly before turning back to Blake. "The killing." The other girl was silent as Weiss tried to determine what her mind wanted to form and say. "Does it not… shock you that you had to do such things?"

"It's commonplace, but you have to remember that my first mission wasn't with Team RWBY. I've done some work for the White Fang that involved killing others, and I can tell you that it wasn't fun dealing with those thoughts at the time. But I kept telling myself that it was for the right cause, that it was for a good purpose." At this she gave a heavy sigh. "At least until I couldn't justify it any longer."

Weiss felt her mind drift off to the two sisters. While she herself wasn't the one that killed the White Fang troops, the moments still played in her head. The first time Ruby pulled the trigger to when Yang landed that crushing blow, they were all poignant. Even just the sound of the moment was harrowing.

Perhaps she herself hadn't fully processed it yet. Maybe it was too easy for her, as someone who was still of free conscience, to say that what the two had done was for the greater good. That's what Blake believed, after all. But did the two sisters believe it, especially with the aftermath of what had happened when the train crashed into the city?

"Do you think…" Weiss trailed off. "Will they be okay?"

"Everyone copes with it a bit differently," the girl reached for her book, thumbing the pages. "When I first killed someone in the White Fang, I couldn't bring myself to think about it immediately. Didn't want to, maybe. It was a little easier to just forget everything at the time."

Her eyes trailed to the book the girl was playing with and it clicked for Weiss.

"You read."

There was a small nod from her, maybe even a thin smile on her lips. "Yep. It's easier to put it aside when you're not the main character in your life."

But was this something Blake picked up as a result, or was this a hobby that grew into something she could vall back on? And when she stopped reading, when the book was put away and the letters and pages came down, did the thoughts return?

Was this something she was still battling? The girl was always reading, after all.

Weiss bit the inside of her lip and looked to the side, "Sorry I interrupted you then." She wanted the conversation to end there, but she had her own questions as well. Here was Blake actually being open about something without being asked. This was a goldmine. Besides, with the direction they were going as a team, it wouldn't be long until she was staring down at a dead body with a bloodied sword in hand, too.

"Does it... go away eventually?"

At this Blake took a breath and opened up the book again, resuming her reading. "The old saying of 'you always remember you first' comes to mind. That might never fully go away. But for most it just becomes a distant memory."

She felt her jaw set in frustration. "So it's something we live with for the rest of our lives, then?"

Blake took a breath and turned the page. "I think it's better than forgetting what you did and why. As the old adage says, failing to learn from the past means we repeat it."

A beat of silence passed between the two as Weiss let her mind grasp what was laid out before her.

"Yang and Ruby will be fine, Weiss."

She didn't ask how the girl knew. Just like how Ruby was her partner, Yang was Blake's and there was a strong partnership between the two already. The direction of the conversation pretty obvious. "Will they really be okay?"

"Not everyone gets better. But Yang and Ruby… they're tough in their own way. They'll be fine in the end, and if not they have us to help them along." Her ear flicked again, causing Weiss to look at up her. "Still, it's a bit annoying. At the risk of seeming shallow, I was looking forward to a shower."

And the conversation was going so, so well. Weiss scoffed, "Really, Blake?"

A snort came before her response. "Do I have to tell you what we've done in the last forty-eight hours?"

That reminded Weiss that she had been out in an abandoned city, through dusted streets, eaten food of questionable quality, fought through a cavern, rode a train, and crashed into the streets of Vale, all while riding an emotional high during the latter half. One glance at her smudged and dirty combat skirt reminded her of the oil on her face and the sweat that had coursed through her shoulders and back.

"Ugh, right."

With that, the two seemed to reach an end to their conversation. Weiss was proud of herself, in an odd sense. At the start of her year at Beacon, she had doubted that she could have even had a conversation with anyone that didn't smell of business language. It was a small victory for herself. Here she was, holding an honest conversation with someone she would have despised had she not known her any better.

"Thought I'd find you here!"

Weiss felt her eyes close, realizing she had spoken to soon. Blake she could deal with. She was a Faunus, but she was also a girl who had the same troubles as she did.

Sun Wukong, on the other hand, was still a miscreant. Her opinion of him had improved by a small margin with how he seemed to be genuinely interested in helping Blake, but she still didn't like the rest of the ways he acted and held himself.

There was also the added benefit, though, that where Sun went, so did Neptune. Casting her gaze to the intruder of their conversation, there the two boys stood, casting easy glances at them.

She watched as Blake rolled her eyes, but a smile dared to twitch at her lips. "Hello Sun."

"Hey there, snow angel."

Weiss tried not to look shy as Neptune shot a toothy smile at her. While she hadn't expected to see him again so soon, neither was this a terrible event. After her conversation with Ruby where she had mentioned how she seemed interested in him, this was a moment where she could try to answer that question about herself.

"H-Hi Neptune."

Before she could continue, though, Sun spoke again. "Hey, so uh… some of the other teams are starting to come back!" she watched as his tail curled in on itself before flexing again.

Blake's response was quick. "And?"

"W-Well, It look's like it was a lot of fun for them. We got to shadow some officers, right Neptune"

Weiss could hear Neptune rolling his eyes at his partner. "Come _on_ , dude." From what she knew of Sun, while she hadn't met run into him much she knew he was talkative at times. But she had never seen him stumble around words like this.

"Just spit it out already," the other girl nonchalantly said, ear flicking again.

With this he took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright, I guess there's no point hiding it." Shooting a glance at both girls, he spoke again. "I know we're probably not quite able to talk about what happened today yet but..." the boy trailed off, and he chuckled uncomfortably before continuing. "It's just that you two… well..." his voice dipped lower, something she had never heard him do before. "You two smell like blood. Like, a lot of blood. Is everything alright?"

"And _that_ is why I wanted the shower."

Oh.

Wait. Did that mean-

Her teammate rolled her eyes at her. "And no, Weiss, you smell like blood too but nothing else beyond what I'm used to. You're fine."

It did nothing to stop the mortification creeping up her cheeks. "Thank you… for what it's worth."

As the conversation continued, both of the boys were inquisitive of what two girls had gone through. The missions were supposed to be safe and introductory. Shadowing, hands-on experience, management of resources, and how hunters were expected to participate in society when they weren't hunting. Yet it was clear to them that something bigger was going on. Weiss had to remind herself that Sun and Neptune had both been involved, after all. As short-lived as it was, they had been there on the night they took down the Paladin.

But the two of them remained tight-lipped - Roman Torchwick was a secret, one that could not be afforded to be let loose. And in the end Sun gave up.

"It's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to offer, Sun," Blake consoled. "It's just that there's a lot riding on this and we're not going at our own pace anymore."

He gave a sigh, but before he could answer, their scrolls gave a firm buzz. Instead of reaching for her scroll, Blake shot her a quick look. "Dibs on the shower."

Weiss was done fighting for now. "Whatever. I still have to catch up on this," she said, gesturing to the book at her side. With a brief goodbye, her teammate left with Sun offering to walk back with her.

This left her alone with Neptune as the two of them worked on their respective assignments. As worried as she was, this had the added benefit of taking a step closer to figuring herself out. In her mind, there were two primary outcomes. Either she liked Neptune or she didn't. The rest were scattered somewhere in between. Any of them, though, would put Roman's meddling to an end in some fashion. In terms of business, obtaining a solid answer, even if it was a no from a client, meant that she could move on and continue elsewhere. This was a good thing.

It didn't mean that breaking the ice on the subject was any less difficult. Thankfully, Neptune was the one to speak first, not turning from the paper he was writing on his scroll about his mission assignment.

"You're mostly spotless if that's what you're concerned about."

A silent weight lifted itself from her shoulders and she smiled a little. "Thank you."

"When Sun told me about what he sensed and the amount of blood needed for it to smell like that, I was worried about what happened," he continued. "Even though we were just following some detectives and seeing how they worked, they were trained hunters too. It would help them in the field if things turned sour."

"What are you trying to say, Neptune?"

"I guess…" he leaned back in his chair and tucked his hands into his pockets before continuing, his blue hair giving a small bob. "I guess what I want to say is that what you're doing now isn't that much different from what I might be doing in the future, with the blood and everything."

A brief beat of silence and then his hushed voice came out. "Did… Did you have to kill someone?"

"I…" Weiss trailed off. What did she say here - that she was looking forward to fighting the White Fang? That she had intended to kill other combatants? Any lines she could think of made her sound opportunistic, something that she clearly wanted to avoid. "I was spared of the need for it." It was the neatest way for her to word it, and she wondered if Neptune's brief silence was one of understanding.

Finally, though, he spoke again. "We live a path of violence, Weiss. I don't think there's a way for us to avoid forever." With a deep breath, he continued. "And for that we have our teams. But if you find that your team isn't there or it's not enough, just remember that I'm here too, okay?"

Weiss said nothing, but gave him a nod in return. It was something she liked about him - he didn't push a subject and didn't try to force something. While he could talk enough to bury someone, he had the tact to keep shut when needed. It was a trait that he perhaps shared with Ruby, perhaps even outshining her leader in that regard.

But that wasn't helping her current situation. Neptune was someone she enjoyed spending time with, just as she found herself enjoying Ruby's company. He was smart, good with words, had the looks, and if Ruby wasn't there this wouldn't have even been a question. But she was there.

She replayed her goal in her mind. Should she try to make this natural? Should she play off of what he said to come to it?

In the end, bluntness won out and she put her book down.

"Neptune, kiss me."

He shot a look at her, "... That wasn't really what I was expecting at this point."

She was prepared to try it. She was ready to see if this was going to give her any answers. She was not expecting to hear him push back and it surprised her. She was the heir of the Schnee Dust Company - she had been introduced to some other young and coming suitors and had always said no. Neptune was not responding in the way she had hoped.

"You, of all people, saying no?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love to. It just seems kind of unusual," he shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't even taken you out on a real date yet." His hands came out of his pockets before gesturing at his body, "I mean, do you even want all of this?"

That was the million lien question, wasn't it? Her mouth opened to say yes, but only hesitation and a deep breath came from it. Looking up at Neptune, she found herself staring into his dark eyes.

"What's wrong, Weiss?"

The word 'caught' was what rang through her mind. But she swallowed down the shame, the fear, and spoke. "I… I'm not sure if I'm attracted to Ruby or not."

And the rest of it spilled out.

Weiss knew they were best friends - Ruby had said so herself. But she wasn't sure if it ended there or not. She shared how there was an enjoyment to be had with her, just like there was enjoyment to be had with him. It was easy to be with either of them - a fact facilitated by how they were talking right now. And as unfair as it might have sounded, she didn't know Neptune as well as she knew Ruby, but only because they were teammates.

But what she was most scared about was how her partner didn't seem to return her feelings. The attraction seemed one-sided at best.

About partway through her explanation, Neptune had folded his arms behind his head and turned to look at the high ceilings of the library. For a moment she wondered if he was really listening with how his eyes were closed, but she saw how his lips budged and fidgeted, the small nods at each comment she made. So she continued until there was nothing left to say about both of them.

Again, though, when she was expecting sadness or disappointment or anger, all she received was a gentle reprimand and a smile from Neptune. "You know, it's okay if you're not sure right now."

She pursed her lips before speaking. "When would you like an answer by?"

He scoffed a little, but his lips were still upturned. "Putting a timer on love seems a little immature, don't you think? I mean, you're just seventeen. It's-"

"Eighteen, actually."

Neptune shrugged his shoulders, "Minimal difference." He turned to look at her, "The point is that you don't have to decide now if you're not sure. Maybe you'll know tomorrow, maybe you'll know in a year. Maybe you'll find out that what you have or want with Ruby isn't really romance but something else. Maybe you'll end up liking both of us."

_You have time. You have lots of time._

"... But how long do you want to wait?" Weiss ventured.

He gave a small sigh. "Well, I guess if you're adamant…" he clicked his tongue, "Maybe a month? That's when we'll be heading back to Haven Academy. No need to rush yourself though."

"... Alright, then. One month."

"And hey," he continued, still smiling, "maybe you'll try things out with Ruby and it doesn't work. I can't guarantee that I won't be available, but…" Neptune trailed off, but his intent and anxiousness was obvious.

"... Thank you, Neptune."

Again their conversation fell to a lull. Looking at her scroll, Weiss found herself gazing at Ruby's message from maybe half an hour ago.

"I think your team is waiting on you. You should head back."

Was Neptune trying to give her an excuse to be with Ruby? "You're okay with me going?" Was he not afraid that she would choose her partner over him?

He sighed as he answered. "As much as I hate shooting myself in the foot, what you shared involves me, but it isn't about me." His hands returned to his scroll and resumed working. "This isn't something I can really choose for you, so I don't think you should be afraid of how I'll feel."

While correct, this wasn't really going with her plans at all. It brought relief to hear his thoughts, yes, but they didn't answer what she was looking for. Still, she began to pack up, mind churning. There was still a silence between them, and when she looked up he was still typing away.

But when she stood up, Weiss didn't leave immediately. She still needed to know.

"Neptune."

"Yeah?"

When he turned to face her, Weiss leaned in and let her lips brush against his. It was a quick moment, and the heat on his cheeks mirrored hers. But he grinned and chuckled, and she found herself smiling with him. And ultimately, while Weiss felt light on her feet on the way back to her dorm, Neptune's wide grin remained in her mind for longer than she could have imagined.

* * *

Sometimes, Team RWBY would have small debates on things. In the way of showers, Yang had unabashedly proclaimed that she took the cake when it came down to it, claiming that her volumes of blonde hair alone were more than enough to come out on top.

Much to her chagrin, Weiss was determined as the one who took the second longest showers. She would usually make a small scowl at the others when the joke came about before resuming her normal routine. She enjoyed being clean, and at the end of the day she was very sure that the other three agreed with that sentiment.

Still, after the tirade of their mission, the feeling of hot water rushing over her skin and sore muscles was heavenly. The sweat and grime and oil from being in Mountain Glenn all fell away down the drain. The only thing that remained was getting lost in the smell of her shampoo and body wash.

Having Neptune on her mind might have been one thing. The sheer, mind-numbing catharsis of a relaxing shower was another.

But all good things came to an end. The hot water was no longer hot and felt lukewarm, and her fingers were beginning to show the signs of pruning. Thus began the next step - toweling off, blow-drying her hair, and then combing it to ensure that any knots or other snares were undone.

By the time Weiss had stepped out of the bathroom, she figured that an hour must have passed. The rest of her team had climbed into their respective beds. Making sure that her scroll was charging and alarm was set, she moved under her own set of covers and began the process of letting her body fall asleep. It was early for her team. It was rare for them to all be in bed before eleven at night, and her scroll said that it was only a little past ten.

There was already some light snoring come from the other two beds. Blake and Yang played a more active part in their mission today, so their fatigue was expected. As she stared up into the bed above her, though, she noticed that while it still had seventeen ribs, it lacked its usual sway - the sign of her leader and partner's rhythmic breathing during sleep. Or, in this case, the lack thereof.

Given all that had happened today, perhaps it was natural. Weiss didn't know how Yang fell asleep - perhaps she had simply become overwhelmed by her emotions and sapped of energy. Ruby, while going through a similar roller coaster, perhaps had other things on her mind. People reacted differently to trauma, after all.

Weiss resolved that she would be there if she looked like she was going to do something stupid. And as much as her leader had improved, she was still prone to foolishness at times. The plan was simple - lay and wait and see if Ruby did fall asleep. The girl had a tendency to shift around in her slumber, so the signs would be easy to recognize.

And to think - just a month and a half ago it was she who was having difficulty sleeping. Weiss realized that she was just as guilty as Ruby was when it came to knowing her partner's sleeping habits.

Yet despite her best attempts, Weiss recognized she had fallen asleep. She knew she fell asleep because her body jolted awake at one in the morning to a brief yell of surprise and a heavy thud. Trying to blink away the grogginess and cursing herself, she sat up in bed and turned to her left to see that Yang had fallen out of her top bunk, limbs tangled in her sheets and rolling to try and get to her feet.

"Yang!" Ruby was the first to say something and she leapt out of bed. Raising an arm to steady the frame, Weiss climbed out and looked at the two sisters.

"Yang, what happened?" her partner spoke, gently pulling back the blankets and helping her sister sit up. Her hand quickly moved to grip the blonde's, who squeezed back. She didn't say anything at first, only doing her best to take deep breaths. Her eyes were scrunched, as if trying to block out the moonlight.

"Was it…" Weiss started to speak, but immediately regretted it. It wasn't that she was coming off strong again. She had tried to keep her voice to a softer tone, one that wouldn't cause Ruby to put up an immediate barrier between them.

Rather, she feared that she was intruding upon an intensely private moment. Ruby's uncomfortable glance ultimately made her turn away and remain silent. She was worried, yes, but this wasn't for her, this was for them. She was just present. She didn't have to acknowledge what occurred if it made the two of them uneasy.

There was a sudden pang of jealousy, of envy. Here was a closeness that transcended the bond of mere partnership, a bond that had never been available to her.

But… she had Winter, didn't she? Wasn't that what Yang and Ruby were sharing right now, a moment between two sisters? And yet that thought only placated her mildly.

"I'm…" Yang finally broke the silence. Weiss looked back to see she brought a hand to her forehead while the other maintained its tight grip on Ruby's hand. "I'm fine. It was just a nightmare. I'll be fine."

Another voice cut in, one that they all forgot was there. "Was it about that member?" All three of them jumped to look at Blake, who was sitting up but still under her sheets.

"No. N-No, it," Yang bit her lip before looking into her lap. "It was something else. I'll be fine. The next few days might just be rough, I guess." Weiss felt her jaw clench at the answer and her gaze fell onto her partner.

Hide it all she could, the only other thing it could have been about was Ruby. It wasn't hard to imagine what Yang dreamt of.

And with that thought Weiss felt herself freeze before snapping back to the leader of her team. She watched as the girl helped Yang to her feet, making sure that she was in bed again and passing her sheets back up to her.

She watched as she gave only the tiniest of scoffs when Yang placed a tiny peck on her forehead.

"What are we, five again?"

"Ruby-"

"I'm just kidding." A deep breath. "I love you, too, Yang." With a few final checks and making sure that Yang was tucked in, Ruby turned around.

Ice blue eyes met soft silver.

"Weiss?"

For all of her own thoughts and fears of killing people, of never being able to overcome the guilt or trauma, it only recently came back to Weiss that Ruby almost died today.

"Can we…" she gulped, cursing her reckless courage in the face of loss. "Can we talk?"

Her partner stared at her for a moment and she felt herself crumbling under the gaze. But finally Ruby nodded and spoke. "Alright. Let's go outside then."

Grabbing their scrolls, the two carefully walked towards the door and slipped out into the hallway. As soon as it closed gently shut, her leader moved to the side, placing her back against the wall. With a slow breath, her legs bent and splayed forward. Her body slid down the wall, her shirt catching against the surface a little and dragging it upwards. When she hit the floor with soft sound, she looked up to Weiss.

She took a deep breath and sighed, ignoring the pale skin of her stomach. Biting her lip, she moved to Ruby's right and sat down next to her. She tucked her knees against her chest.

"Uncouth." She wasn't sure if she was admonishing herself or Ruby.

"Weiss, please, no," the other girl's hands went and rubbed her eyes. "It's one in the morning."

Weiss frowned and tried her best to continue. "That's not what I'm trying to say here." She looked up at the ceiling and then back down at her own hands. "I noticed you were having difficulty sleeping."

"It'll be fine," Ruby said. "It's not like we haven't stayed up this late before."

"Ruby, might I remind you that-"

"Noooooo," Ruby almost laughed and cried at the same time. "Don't lecture me now. You just said you weren't going to lecture me."

She did her best to keep her voice low. "And I'm not." She looked at Ruby. "We've been through a lot today. _You've_ been through a lot today. But something is keeping you from falling asleep."

"Yeah, and her name starts with a 'W'."

_This girl-_

"Ruby Rose," Weiss pushed on in spite of the heat on her cheeks, "I am _trying_ to help you." She turned to face her partner, and she would have said more, but something else made her pause.

"Your hair."

"Oh," Ruby tiredly moved her hand to the right side of her face, playing with an immaculate braid. "Yang made it for me. She needed some time to… well…" her lips formed a frown. "She needed to know I was still here. When I was still a toddler, she used to help take care of me. You know, bathing, feeding, and playing games with me."

As the girl continued to speak, Weiss let herself fall still. This was a time to try and listen. "So after today, she needed to calm down, to know that I'm safe. And, well, we're kinda older now. Don't need her to bathe or feed me. So after we showered, I just let her do the braid and… well, we talked."

"A little like how I am trying to talk to you now, then?"

"Yeah." Ruby gave the lock another twirl before setting her hand down. "The braid's a bit dorky, but I liked it so I kept it."

"It's not dorky," Weiss found herself reassuring her leader. "In fact, I think it's very well made."

"Thanks. Yang was always good at making these… And I don't want to make it seem like we wanted to hog with the showers," she sheepishly grinned. "That… like, it's a bonus, but that wasn't the main goal."

Weiss took a deep breath, straightening her back against the wall. "You're forgiven if that's what you're worried about." She moved to stand up, "And now that you mentioned that you had a talk with Yang, perhaps now isn't a good-"

Ruby's hand went over hers for a moment before retracting back. She closed her eyes. All her partner wanted to indicate was that she wanted Weiss to stay. There was nothing else behind it. Maybe if there were some more instances down the road. Maybe if it lingered for longer. But for now it was nothing.

Finally, after what felt like a good minute, Ruby spoke. "I see that knife when I close my eyes." The wall started to lose some of its grip on her shirt, but it still revealed the taut flesh of her stomach. Her hand moved and Weiss could only follow its movements, watching it fall to cover a specific place. "It... " Ruby gulped. "It would have hit here. I could feel my aura being ripped away, and…"

She fell silent again, but all Weiss heard was the scream from Ruby's lips when that knife came down. "Ruby," she started, but her mouth was dry. Closing it and licking her lips, she started again. "Ruby-"

"D-Don't say you're sorry, Weiss." The girl demanded, doing her best to be firm. But there was a soft lilt in her voice and she gave up the tone with a sigh. "Any of us would have done what Yang did today, she was just there first. No matter who it was down there, we'd all do it. And don't even try to argue with that, because it's the truth."

"... Alright then."

Nothing else was said between the two before they returned back to the dorm. Weiss wanted to say more, had originally hoped to say more, but tonight was not about her own wants. Tonight was about Ruby and Yang and she let it be. There would be other times. She told herself that before again and again. And if she worked up the courage to ask Ruby to come and speak with her, then she could work up the courage to do it again.

After a brief goodnight, the two climbed back into bed. And while Weiss wasn't sure when Ruby fell asleep, it was clear that she did. When she got up from her own alarm and looked upward, the girl was gently snoring.

And when the two teams reported for their debriefing, Weiss noticed that Ruby kept the braid in place.

* * *

From what Roman was able to see in the feeds, Neo had held up her end of the job almost perfectly. She had let herself be captured, kept an eye on Weiss where she could, and more importantly eliminated any White Fang members she met on the train. Any sort of foul play between her and the authorities would now be harder to spot.

It certainly helped that because the Atlas Military was secretly involved, all autopsies and other pertinent data would be handled and disclosed as they felt fit. Cinder wouldn't be getting inside information any time soon through legal channels. She might try to investigate through other means, but she didn't have time for that. She would need to strike during the Vytal Festival, as planned. There were other contingencies discussed with the White Fang, after all.

The one problem was when she had seen Ruby up close and personal for the first time. That could have been disastrous, but thankfully Weiss had stepped in without his prompting. But he knew what Neo wanted, and she knew that he could give it to her if she obeyed.

Still, the loss of Mountain Glenn meant that there would be less chaos during the actual event, a factor that could work both for and against him. There would be less distractions for the authorities to chase after him, but he would have a better chance at escape when Grimm weren't combing through all four corners of Vale for a meal.

It was, however, too early for Neo to deliver the cigars. In fact, with how things were, she probably wouldn't be able to deliver them until the actual moment. And this meant that in the moment, where he was staring down Goodwitch, General Ironwood, and Ozpin again, he would have to do it without his preferred poison. He only had one left and he needed it for the next step.

"Torchwick," the general began, "I noticed that you said nothing during the mission. I hoped that you would have something to offer, but it looks like you had nothing. However, were you able to observe anything different than what you had seen prior to our…" his jaw clenched a little before speaking, "arrangement?"

"You're talking about an underground city there, general." Roman rolled his head to the side, feeling his neck crick with the strain. "Nothing is going to change any time soon in that place. In fact, I'd go so far to say aside from some additional weaponry that was lost, nothing changed at all."

"There is one aspect, however, of Blake's feed I'd like to review." He looked at the trio across the wooden table, the same table that he had seen time and time again. His eyes fell onto Ozpin. "I daresay you might even know what I'm referring to, headmaster."

The man gave a neutral stare in return. However, with only a deep breath, he began to tap away at his scroll, and an image of Blake's feed appeared before the four of them.

"Forward to where she kills that Faunus, Perry. Listen to what he says to her before she does it."

All were silent as Ozpin moved the scrolling bar to the point, to the moment before her blade fell.

"A-Adam… he'll get you, Blake. It won't be like other turncoats. He'll carve you up nice and slow in person. Adam's gonna-"

Then the blade fell and Blake's camera looked away. But the language was clear. She might not have said anything herself, but Perry's words gave away everything.

"It's clear that whoever's in charge plans to use Adam's forces," Roman began to speak again. "Now that we have put a stop to one of the person's schemes, this failure of theirs has the power to be a wedge. We can plant bad relations between the two."

"And you wish to use Blake Belladonna's relation with Adam to be the one to drive it in, correct?" Ozpin said.

Roman only smiled. "What do you say to another field trip for our dear little kittycat?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'll keep it focused on the big one first - Neptune. I admit that I REALLY hate how fanon just kinda paints him in a negative light. I understand though - it stood in the way of White Rose for a while and he is written as a self-absorbed at times. However, I really don't want to go that route in here. So I decided to try and have Neptune be supportive of Weiss, even though it wouldn't benefit him. He lets her go to try and chase Ruby. I'm trying to actually make him care about Weiss more than he does in canon because it just feels more realistic. And while Weiss does kiss him, it is more for her own self-benefit than his. She NEEDS to know about herself.
> 
> As for the White Rose... :S
> 
> Anyway, a WHOLE lot of Weiss, but we're getting back to being about Roman in the next chapter. And Neo fans are going to be introduced to a personal headcanon of mine, too, so keep an eye out for it!
> 
> Beta'd by ImSoAwesome


	18. Plans Falling Through

For the most part, the mission was considered a success. The trip to Junior's bar was one thing, but this was a live combat scenario where the stakes were higher. Neo was 'captured', a possible strategy for the White Fang was thwarted, and the two teams were still in one piece. Roman, however, reminded himself that complacency did not belong in this operation. This was all just one step closer towards his overall goal - to kill Cinder and escape. But it was a critical step. For whatever it was worth, he had at least a small portion of trust to work with.

"You have another mission to propose so soon?" Ozpin's voice cut the silence that had fallen over the four of them.

He gestured towards the footage, the still image of the screen reflecting the scene of Blake's kill. "We have an invaluable relationship between the two of them. For whatever reason, Adam and Blake are at odds. We don't know what their bad blood is, but what we do know, though, is that she deserted the White Fang. Not only that, though, she's still around. The White Fang isn't a group that takes this lying down. So that means that either they're saving something special for her or they just haven't had the time to go after her."

"So when she willingly appears before him again, that will gives us a picture of what their relationship might have looked like while playing the right cards of suspicion. We need him to be doubtful of his relationship with those at the top. And this," he pointed at the screen, at Blake, "is exactly what we need."

Ironwood was the first to respond. "You would risk sending in Miss Belladonna alone, then?"

He felt a smile grow, teeth just barely showing. "Not truly alone. You can't believe that I would be so reckless to ask for that, would you, General?" He turned his head to the side, arms folding onto his lap and a finger rising to his chin. "Still, you bring up a good point. We can't have her teammates on the field, but our kitty can't go solo."

Roman furrowed his brow, "RWBY has had run-ins with the White Fang before, and after Mountain Glenn JNPR will be posterized if they haven't already. We would need someone who hasn't been involved with the White Fang previously. And no faunus. Can't let any stray opinions get in the way."

Ironwood's stare looked like it could melt steel, but Glynda was the one who spoke up. "Taurus has worked outside of our radar for the past two years, covered by sympathizers and those who agree with his more violent decisions. He's not someone who's green - we're not going to nab him without a fight." She adjusted her glasses as she looked up at him. "He'll know it's a setup, Torchwick."

Roman leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms at his chest. "And that's what we want."

"Your suggestion is sound. Getting at Adam would be very beneficial to us." Ozpin leaned forward in his chair, but he was sure that the gaze he was receiving from the headmaster was one he hadn't seen in a long time. "However, I think you've had enough agency for now, Roman."

He felt himself freeze up. It was a voice of admonishment, but that alone was not what he was afraid of. He knew that he played into Ozpin's trap. The man was watching him, after all - he must have gotten careless with his suggestions. "We have a very good opportunity before us, Ozpin." His own voice turned terse, unable to prevent the sudden upset from affecting him. "Don't tell me we're just going to throw it away."

But it was like digging his own grave. Once Ozpin set his mind to something, the man saw it to fruition. His own tone of voice wasn't helping the matter, either. "That will be enough, Roman. The students have only just returned, and we haven't even been able to determine a plan on what to do with your confidant."

"Look." He stared Ozpin in the eye, as if Goodwitch and the general weren't even in the same room with them anymore. "Whatever they're planning to do, the group is going to use the White Fang's manpower. And we've seen that it in the footage. It is the strongest asset that they can provide, and we'd be stupid if we let this chance to manipulate Adam go by."

The man across him leaned back and returned his gaze. "You know, you seem awfully invested in this."

Fuck. This was a bad sign. He needed to calm down, but Ozpin was infuriating him not just because he wasn't seeing the same strategy but because he had nearly put himself at unnecessary risk. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, his hand gingerly grasped the rim of his hat and removed it. With the material obscuring his vision of the older man, he slowly ran his fingers over his scalp.

"Wasn't that a part of our bargain?" he carefully said, putting the hat back onto his head again. The damage was done, but that was then. Now, he was cool. Collected. In control. "I'm  _supposed_  to be invested."

"And yet you've only recently shown such emotion regarding it." Ozpin's hands fell to the table, fingers interlocking with the other as he leaned in, as if sensing Roman's mistake. True to his warning from that night at the tower, he was watching him. "I would like to remind you that while you are here to provide insight where you can, your previous suggestions were accepted on the grounds that we clearly stood to gain. And now that Mountain Glenn is completed we have no direction established yet. We are not prepared to pursue our next step."

He stared at the older man in silence. "You know, one thing I noticed over time is that while a lot of Faunus left the White Fang when the organization became more and more violent, it also gained an influx of followers. Followers who believe in this violence." He was sure that his frown was very visible, one that had slowly formed as Ozpin continued to speak. But Roman decided to let it hang loose. "They are not a peaceful organization anymore, and they are the backbone of our enemy's operation." His final words came out slow, methodical. "Without them, they can do nothing."

Ozpin's eyes never left his. "Adam is off the table Roman," there was a short pause, as if to let the declaration hang in the air for all parties. "Am I clear?"

"Hmph," Roman slowly stood up, "Abundantly." It was clear to him that the conversation was over. The guards nearby raised their weapons, but he paid no attention, simply walking back to the elevator. He would need to either find another way to manipulate the situation or risk dealing with the White Fang during his escape attempt. Neither was particularly appetizing, but he needed to return to the drawing board. "Let me know when you change your mind."

* * *

Ruby offered the cookie a second time, but without the same enthusiasm and questioning like before.

"Do you want a cookie, Weiss?"

Likewise, she turned it down with a calmer rejection.

"No, but thank you."

With a final shrug, her leader popped the treat into her mouth and began to chew. Her head, though, twisted and turned to the left and right as Team RWBY waited for their turn, and the little braid from Yang's handiwork swayed with each movement.

She dared to believe that it was cute, but not even Yang would beat that out of her. Never mind that it had given her reason to pause last night.

She returned to her coffee, gently sipping away at the liquid. They were to be debriefed again, this time on the Mountain Glenn mission. Since the bulk of the mission had RWBY and JNPR working with their teammates, the debriefs were between teams and not the paired partners. Weiss felt that it should have been done sooner, but again the public needed an answer.

Finally, though, the door opened and out stepped JNPR. The four students looked glad to be out of the room, perhaps even just a little exhausted at the thought of being trapped in their with perhaps the two greatest powers in this school. Had Ironwood not been absent for obvious reasons, it would have been some sort of unholy trinity the two teams would have to deal with.

But it was their turn now. Ruby snatched two more cookies, placing both in her mouth as the four of them entered the room. It hadn't changed at all. More chairs were added to seat the four of them at the table, but everything remained the same.

"If you have any questions before we begin, now would be the time. Otherwise, this will be very similar to your previous debriefings," Professor Goodwitch began. "We'll be having you go through your time on the mission starting from the point of entry to when the fighting stopped. We won't be going over the entirety of the situation, as your feeds provided more than enough information." In front of her was her own scroll, ready to type notes on what they provided. "Rather, we are looking for your own thoughts over what had happened."

Her green eyes fell upon Ruby, "With that being said, though, this will be broken into two parts, with the first one focusing on Ruby." Weiss could have sworn she saw the teacher's features soften, if only for a moment. But it was fleeting at best, and it was quickly replaced. "As not just the youngest leader in Beacon's history, but to have gone through that particular… experience on the train, we are interested in hearing your input." Goodwitch looked at the rest of the team. "Do any of you have an objection to that?"

Weiss shook her head to the murmurs of Blake and Yang, and the woman nodded. "Very well then, let us begin."

For the most part, it wasn't anything more than what Weiss had expected. Goodwitch asked about the entry, their way to the train and time on it, and then finally what they had done after they arrived in the city. It was generic to an extent. And as the professor said, much of it was tied to Ruby's experience as it had been the most poignant of the feeds.

But the last question seemed to make everything else prior to that measly in comparison. "After the mission, how did you feel? You seemed more than a little overwhelmed after everything had passed." Goodwitch looked up from her scroll to eye Ruby again. While the question was carefully asked, meant to be heard in a way that wasn't threatening, the small girl had frozen up. Blake and Yang had turned their head towards her, waiting for an answer, but it was still a moment before she finally spoke up.

"W-Well," she started, "after the cleanup and getting something to eat, we went back to our dorm room looking to start unwinding. And, well, Yang said something and I asked for some time alone for just the two of us." Here she carefully looked towards her older sister and received a small nod from her before turning back to Goodwitch. "That whole moment on the train really got to her, so I spent some time with her, nothing special." A hand rose to flick the braid at the side of her head. "Just kinda reliving our life before training to be huntresses, really."

"In that case," this time the older woman looked at the other two, Blake and Weiss. "Where did you two go during this time? I imagine you would want to give Ruby and her sister some time alone." She felt her hand clench her skirt under the table. There was a reluctance for her to share, as that was a private moment for the both of them, and especially her after Blake left. But to her relief, the other girl spoke up.

"Weiss and I had our own talk about what happened, or at least the end of it. It was our first mission as a team, after all, and our team knew that I was involved with the White Fang early on into our first semester. It was a good time to discuss it, and I think Weiss would agree with me there."

"Mhmm…" Goodwitch took down more notes before shooting a glance at her, "Would you add anything onto that?"

Considering the conversation she had with Blake, and then the one after that she had with Neptune, it was an easy no. "I have nothing else to say regarding it, Professor Goodwitch."

Her green eyes watched for just a little longer before bobbing back to Ruby. "And was there anything afterward you wish to add on? Any trouble sleeping from any of you, perhaps?"

Yang's hand shot up, "I uh… I fell out of the bed from a nightmare, but that was it."

"That's understandable," she didn't look up, tapping away the response into the scroll. "This is often an initial symptom of what happens after a traumatic moment, but it doesn't last for long. However," Goodwitch looked up at Yang, "if it continues after several months, please let us know. That may be a sign of something else."

A few more presses on the scroll. "Is there anything else to report?"

It was here that Weiss had expected Ruby to speak up about her inability to sleep. But to her surprise, the girl remained silent about the topic, only shaking her head and responding with a negative. Her brows furrowed and her head and eyes gently turned to look at her at the unusual choice.

Since when was Ruby a liar? And especially in front of authority figures? There had to have been a good reason why she was doing this, but the more and more Weiss tried to dig into the back of her mind, the more it felt like there was no good reason. She might have been trying to keep it a secret from Yang after what she had gone through, but it felt shallow to her.

Maybe she just didn't want to talk about it. Maybe this whole debriefing was uncomfortable for her from the start and she wanted it to end as quickly as possible.

Maybe it was because she didn't want to bring up the fact that the two of them had a short conversation late at night. She didn't want to remember that tiny moment of vulnerability where she just let everything out in front of Weiss. She didn't want to face the fact that, when given the opportunity to back away, she reached out and took her hand, keeping her there and going through that moment of vulnerability, letting the shell of a leader come down.

A part of her hoped that Ruby was doing it to keep the moment personal, just between the two of them, but that was foolhardy. She swallowed back the feeling and turned back to Goodwitch.

Chalk one up for Ruby not being interested. Again.

"Now that we've concluded the first part, we will be moving onto the second part of the debriefing." Once again Goodwitch tapped away at the scroll, and this time an image popped up on the desk in front of them. "During your train ride, a part of your objective was to rendezvous with 'Neo'. Unfortunately we have little information about this character, and now that we have her in custody, we need more information about her and what she can do. Since you four have had some…" the professor grimaced before adjusting her glasses, " _experience_  with Roman, we are hoping that you have seen her at some point outside of the information exchange."

With the previous question behind her, Ruby seemed much more comfortable in comparison. "We have, professor. On the night that we encountered Roman in the Paladin, not long after Yang destroyed the machine, we met someone very similar to the Neo we ran into already so far." Ruby closed her eyes, as if trying to recount details and make sure that everything was correct.

Finally she opened them and continued. "The one we met had black hair. But if we ignore the hair color, I'm sure they're the same person. They're both short."

Goodwitch nodded her head. "Roman has advised us that it's nearly impossible to capture a profile of her because she can change the way certain identifiers look at a whim. He specifically pointed out hair and eye color, so I doubt that we can use that to clearly identify very much. Still, it would be good to know the range of colors she can produce." A few more tacks, and she looked back up. "Would the four of you be able to provide what colors you saw that night?"

"I can't recall the eyes on the girl," Yang clicked her tongue as she gruffly spoke. "But her hair was pretty unusual. White, pink, brown. Hard to forget a mashup like that."

"I'm sorry." A sudden voice interrupted them, and all eyes turned to Ozpin, who had remained silent since the start of the debriefing. Did you say white, pink…  _and_  brown?" Weiss felt herself straighten in her seat, having forgotten that he headmaster was right there with them. "Can you say that with full confidence?"

The blonde, however, was able to recover and spoke quickly. "Yes. Not about to forget that face. Not when she disappeared on us like that. I hit her with a punch with Ember Celica and she and Roman just… shattered."

When Yang finished her story and Weiss looked back up at Ozpin, his face was frozen. But his eyes were opened a crack wider than usual. The way his head angled down, mechanically taking a sip from his coffee, a bare twinge in his fingers and then nothing more, she knew that whatever was shared was more than just shocking.

There was another pause of silence before the he stood up, bidding for Goodwitch to continue the debriefing without him. He swiftly exited the room, no doubt on his way back to his office for whatever epiphany he had come across. But as the questions dragged on, she found herself dwelling more and more on the look of absolute fear on Ozpin's face.

* * *

It would be his last lesson before the Vytal Tournament. One more lesson, one more day of teaching students how to catch criminals before being thrust into the madness that would be Cinder's plans.

To be fair upon himself, there were many opportunities where Roman could have made his escape. Doubly so now that Neo knew that he was being held on the campus somewhere. It would be just like all the other times they thought he couldn't possibly leave his confines - she'd use her powers to find him and then spring him when the time was right. And while the measures in place at Beacon were good, they were not without flaws. Ozpin was forgetting how he was trained as a hunter.

But at the same time, neither did Roman know whether the man was testing him or not. There was much that he kept under wraps during his time as a trainee, things that he only shared with his teammates after he swore them to secrecy. For all he knew the opening created could have been a trap, and in the end he let it slide.

Just like how he let that chance slide on the night they went to visit Junior. He shot himself and spat out a bullet. It would take more than that and a measly pair of hunter teams to stop him - not if he put his whole heart into fleeing.

Yet that would mean Cinder would have been able to trace down that he was still alive. And she was his objective, after all.

Eyes closed at the front of the desk, he felt his fingers tense at the thought of that woman. One breath. Two breaths. Calm down. Focus. She wasn't in his grasp yet - not when Adam was still such a threat. The hoped-for meeting between him and Blake was just as quickly crushed as it started, and now he needed another strategy if he wanted to try and pull them away from the site.

His means were limited, though. His scroll would not send outbound messages, and it was heavily monitored. He'd be lucky if he could watch the tournament at all. He could risk something during the time of the attack, but that was the best he could think of in the end.

He hated not having a plan, but he hated not being able to formulate one either. All of his options seemed too risky and make his real objective impossible. Escape was easy, after all. It was just revenge that was uphill.

But it would be worth it in the end. With Cinder out of the way, he was free to build up his empire in Vale again - be established and rich and safe and never hunger, never fear again. And as dangerous as the White Fang and Adam could be, with Blake under his thumb for now he was confident that he could control them to an extent as well.

* * *

For once, Torchwick looked upset to Weiss as the two teams filed into the classroom again. With the mission two days behind them and the first match of the tournament only a few more away, she had hoped that they would have time for one more teamfight. They had all promised themselves that they would work extra hard, after all. And as much as a welcome rest would have been after their mission, another lesson awaited them.

Once they completed this and graduated, however, perhaps they couldn't afford to have any downtime. Villainy was rampant, it would seem, and her eyes fell onto Ruby.

Would she even have time for romance? With people like Roman running around, it seemed unlikely. A part of her wanted to drop the question altogether, let the chance slip away. But Neptune had already told her to try, and the last thing she wanted to do was let his offer go to waste.

She took a deep breath and shook herself free of the thought. No more of that for now. There would always be time for ruminations. Torchwick was beginning his lesson. But as his voice droned on and on Weiss continually found herself turning her head down to start taking notes, only to find that hardly any sentences were written. She blinked, closed her eyes, and tried to pick up what was shared, but it was more and more of a lost cause.

All she could do was stare at Ruby and wonder what had caused her to withhold information. The braid had long been put away, leaving her with the usual hairstyle she had, but as she watched her, she seemed to betray nothing about her purpose.

She should be paying attention to the lesson. Torchwick could have been prattling on the secret of life and yet nothing was being accomplished.

She should give up on the issue for now, and try to confront Ruby later. That would be the easiest way to get it done - chasing the source. But that meant she had to work up her nerves again like that one night, go to a sequestered and quiet place, and then talk and try not to get caught up on staring too hard.

And there was still the thing about Ozpin and how he exited the debriefing. None of her teammates seemed to pick up on the urgency in which he left the room with, possibly because they hadn't spent time with him alone in the office. They hadn't seen what his more normal look was and couldn't recognize his fear when it was on display.

"Miss Weiss."

Her body snapped straight in her chair, turning towards the voice. Torchwick's green eyes stared back at her, a smug smile plastered onto his face. The rest of the class shifted to turn towards her, and she could feel her cheeks becoming warmer and warmer by the second. He let her cook under her gaze a tiny bit longer before finally speaking. "Is there anything interesting about Miss Red here that you'd like to share?"

She felt her gaze drift over to Ruby, where ice blue eye met soft silver.

What a question, indeed. And now she knew that she was staring at her, too.

"No," Weiss closed her eyes and gave a huff. "Continue."

He let his gaze linger a little longer before resuming the lesson. His smile could have widened for the umpteenth time, but ultimately it disappeared not long after the first sentence. Finally able to somehow concentrate and listen, Weiss did her best to write down whatever notes she could. She could ask Blake for help later on the course material.

She needed to stop getting distracted and stay focused on Torchwick. He wasn't trustworthy. He wasn't helpful. And she certainly wasn't going allow him to be pull anything out from beneath her anytime soon.

* * *

The coffee had long grown cold by now, evidence of how many times Ozpin had gone through Glynda's account of the debriefing. But the words themselves weren't even half as haunting as the the images he had pulled up on his own scroll.

Four youthful faces stared back at him in varying states of smiles. The names were long ingrained in his mind, but here only their semblances mattered. That, and the color of their hair.

_Brown hair. Short range teleportation_

_Pink hair. Clothing mimicry_

_Orange hair. Semblance unknown_

_White hair. Illusionary placement_

It shouldn't have been possible, he told himself. Semblances were wide and varied, though sometimes there were similarities. And with how skilled some hunters were becoming these days, the limits of the human aura were pushed back day by day. But this…

This was beyond any of his wildest dreams. Even his own semblance was nothing compared to this.

With a slow touch, he minimized the pictures and pulled up a number from his contact list. He took a breath and tapped it to dial, and the other side picked up. He didn't even spare any pleasantries.

"Glynda, I think I know what happened to Roman's teammates."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Woo, late chapter. Sorry for that. I sorta got roped up in writing everything else for a bit, but I'm back to writing this piece again. To be fair, though, this chapter was a little tough to get right. A lot of the plot points I wanted to touch upon didn't fit pacing-wise, so unfortunately they'll have to go into the next chapter.
> 
> But hey, we're now approaching the Vytal Tournament, which probably has all of the action this fic has been holding out on lol. I'm still not sure if the matches fit thematically, but I do want to add at least one of them somewhere in there. We are also nearing the end, and hopefully I've played up the moments properly. Time will tell, though, so we'll just have to see.


	19. A Cut Above

" _Alright girls, we all worked hard for this, and I'm expecting a RWBY versus JNPR showdown in the grand finals! Now, as we know we're not allowed to cheat, but we are allowed to appear physically intimidating as we're squaring off. So our homework is to figure out a way to be mean as heck and get that psychological advantage!"_

In that sense, Yang had it easy. She was taller than Weiss, framed by wild golden hair, and was already known to be the queen brawler of the school. All she needed to do was smile, pump her fists together, and let her all-natural confidence shine through. Add on just a small bit of heat and fire - things the human body naturally cowered from - and the rest would simply fall into place.

Blake was also sporting the height advantage, though she wasn't nearly as tall as her partner. Neither did she carry that brimming confidence feel in her poise. But there was something else behind the way she moved, full of intent and purpose, perhaps something that carried over from her White Fang days. Had things gone the way they were and the two had never crossed paths the way they did, Weiss was sure that Blake would have been a thorn in her side instead of the teammate she was today.

This left Ruby and herself, the shorter pair of the team. Their bodies were smaller, and skirts were hardly intimidating. In spite of that, though, her partner's weapon was still gigantic. It was taller than her, even when she reached up with both of her hands. And while her optimistic outlook on almost all things led to a pleasant smile on her face most of the time, it still played to a level of confidence seen in the two sisters. And confidence worked. A spin from her giant weapon and her smile created an odd combination of terrifying cuteness.

And from here did Weiss' dilemma begin. From the moment Ruby announced their 'homework' to the mere moments before they were to step onto the combat platform, she found that she still lacked any good answer. Just barely topping the five-foot mark without the aid of her heels, she was diminutive compared to the overall stature of the team. And unlike the other weapons, Myrtenaster was elegant in design. Its size was not its selling point when it came to intimidation.

She couldn't use her glyphs either. Manipulation of the overt kind, dust or semblance otherwise, was not allowed on the platform until the match officially started. Staring down their opponent, Team ABRN, she found herself adopting a peculiar stance. With Myrtenaster drawn, she gently let the point stand on the ground in front while her hands rested over the grip, one on top of the other. Headmaster Ozpin seemed to adopt this form quite often when it came to unruly students. Perhaps it would serve her here on the stage.

A quieter voice in her head brought up another figure, but Professor Port's booming voice cut it off.

"And would you look at this - Team RWBY looks ready to rumble! It seems like we're in for a great first match!"

Another familiar voice kicked in, fast yet eloquent at the same time - Oobleck. "Why yes, Team RWBY has certainly shown that they are indeed ready to take the tournament title for themselves! I had the privilege of overseeing one of their recent excursions and I was very pleased by the coordination I saw! Team ABRN might have to keep an eye open for that and figure out whether it's better to engage as a group or attempt to pick them off one at a time!"

"Rumor has it though, Dr. Oobleck, that while they have yet to win an officiated sparring match, Team RWBY is the only one to take wins over Team JNPR. Facts might be facts, but rumors are still rumors! This makes them one of the favored teams to win the tournament!"

Weiss wondered if her teammates were experiencing stagefright from the gaze of the arena-goers. Yet the thought was shaken away in the end. She might have grown used to the eyes of watchers whenever she made a singing performance, but unlike her the other three teammates were killers.

For all she knew, she could have been the one most affected by the shouts and stares.

"So," Yang said low enough that only they could hear, rolling her left shoulder, "Ninja Bee opener?"

"Sure," Blake took a moment to flick her blades out, "just make sure it looks like it hurt. Too light and they'll be onto us." Her amber eyes scanned their opponents before resting on the one with green hair, floating on some sort of hoverboard. "We should take her out. We already have an edge in terms of mobility, but we can make the gap bigger by taking her out quick."

"Combatants, at attention!"

Weiss had seen previous tournaments broadcasts before. That was the line that indicated the countdown was about to start. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her blade up from the ground. With another spin of the dust cylinder to make sure they were all filled up, she brandished it in front of her. Team ABRN matched them eye to eye, their own weapons coming out into the light.

"Three!"

Yang gave her left gauntlet a quick cock. Ruby leveled her scythe at them.

"Two!"

Blake rolled her neck to the side, a small pop echoing despite the building voices of the watchers.

"One!"

A final breath.

"Begin!"

There was a deafening cry from the audience, and then-

_Bang_

Team ABRN stopped in their tracks, their vision suddenly turned to Yang as she delivered a quick hook across Blake's face. A heavy gasp roiled through the crowd, confusion rampant at the betrayal. This, however, was to be expected. The strategy was meant to be deceptive, to confuse in plain sight. In the brief moment where Team ABRN let their guard down, Blake's semblance kicked in and she disappeared before diving in from behind, delivering a kick square in the back of their target and off of her hoverboard.

"Wow! Team RWBY came out with a sneaky surprise attack at the start of the round, sending Miss Reese Chloris out of position!"

The next seven seconds were over in a flash. With a helpful glyph, Blake was able to safely relocate back to the frontline. Watching their singled out opponent struggle to rise to her feet, Yang followed up with a heavy punch and sent her careening to the floor again, this time in front of her. Unlike last time, though, Reese tucked into a roll and came to her feet, but Weiss still followed up without hesitation. With practice footwork, Weiss angled her leg in a swift spin kick aimed at her chest. The other girl raised her arms to block, the white boot landing harmlessly against her.

This, however, was still to Weiss' advantage. A small glyph started to form and grow in size behind the ankle of her shoe. Reese's eyes widened, hopelessly awed by the markings until the circle had grown larger than her torso.

"Don't take this personally."

With a resounding boom, the stored force within the glyph released and expelled Weiss' leg forward. She felt her body spin in place for a rotation, but she quickly righted herself just in time to see Reese be launched cleanly out of the battle zone.

_BZZZZZZZ_

"What a ring out! Not even a minute in and Team RWBY already has the upper hand in this match! It looks like those rumors are more than just that! Let's get a replay, shall we?"

Looking back to the fight, Weiss saw that her teammates were already engaging the other three, providing the time she needed to take out the first target. Her eyes scanned and locked onto Ruby's red cape and she felt herself dashing over. With their combined efforts, her glyphs and Ruby's speed, no one would be able to stop the two of them from crossing the field, coming and going as they pleased.

The mobility advantage was theirs, and Team RWBY set upon their opponents like wolves.

* * *

"Okay, I know I probably sound like a broken record by this point, but Weiss - that kick was and will always be AMAZING! I still can't believe you didn't tell me you could do that with your glyphs!"

Ruby hadn't stopped praising her since the end of the first match. When the final buzzer went off, a near flawless victory in their hands, the girl had practically tackled Weiss in the biggest bear hug she could muster with her tiny arms. Only a miracle kept the two of them on their feet, and by the time she had fully steadied herself she realized that Ruby's head was dangerously close to her-

"I never shared it because it's not very effective in a live situation. It only worked because she's never seen it before." She blamed the red on her cheeks from the sudden praise, though some of it had died down already since that moment. "Besides, isn't it enough to say your praises just once?"

"Of course not!" Ruby's eyes hadn't left the scroll since she found the replay, but this time she thrust the screen in front of Weiss. "I mean, have you seen yourself in the video?"

That was another thing. While it was no more than a few seconds capture of the first kick and then the launch, the fact that Ruby was now scrutinizing every moment of that replay, taking in her form and analyzing it, was suddenly voyeuristic on a level she wasn't ready to admit yet. Had it been anyone else, she might not have cared, as being on camera was nothing new to Weiss.

But Ruby? Staring and absorbing the flesh of her legs?

It certainly didn't help that if she were to pause at just the right moment, she would most absolutely see her-

A heavy clap on her shoulder caused Weiss to look to the side towards Yang. "Just go with it, would ya?" But the taller girl didn't say the words at her, eyes locked on her her younger sister, who had once again hit the replay button and was watching in earnest. There was a ghost of a smile on her face. It wasn't a full look of joy, and suddenly her mind was ripped back to one week ago, to a masked assailant with a knife, to a lie that only existed between her and Ruby.

Had Yang not acted, this moment of joy might not have happened. And so as rambunctious as Ruby might have been now, looking at the footage of Weiss, adoring every inch of her in a way she wasn't expecting, she let it continue for the sake of the two sisters.

Besides, was this not a possibility she already accepted alongside Neptune's proposal? That she might be subject to Ruby's gaze if it all worked out?

"Anyway, we just had our first match and our next round isn't until tomorrow." The blonde stepped forward towards Ruby, leaving her behind. "I don't know about you, but I am  _starving_ and we," she opened her arms and spun in place, gesturing to all of the stalls around them, "are smack in the middle of a fairground. Let's get something to eat!"

It took longer than expected for the team to decide upon a place to eat. When Ruby finally put the scroll away to look for food options, the sisters seemed to operate on a similar level, careening towards everything that wasn't even remotely 'real' food.

Finally, though, the team settled on noodles. Not exactly the healthiest from the get-go, but Weiss was sure that compared to what else was being offered this was the best choice available to them. After all, there was sure to be a healthy option available. As she approached the stand, however, an unexpected voice called out to her.

"A commendable first round performance, Team RWBY. And an exemplary use of your glyphs, Miss Schnee."

With a slow turn of their bodies, Weiss and the rest of the team turned to Headmaster Ozpin.

"Thank you, headmaster," she quickly replied. The other girls nodded in agreement, but she felt that there was something unusual in Ozpin meeting with the team now. The next match might be in thirty minutes, but there were many other functions taking place during the festival. There was no time for idle chitchat.

"I don't think I've seen a match be finished in such a decisive manner for some time. I will most certainly be looking forward to your next performance tomorrow."

"That's uh…" Ruby awkwardly scratched the back of her head. She wasn't new to praise, but to receive such strong words from the man who ran the academy was another matter in itself. "That's very kind of you to say!" she chuckled, just a little sheepish. "I… um, I mean," she cleared her throat. "We look forward to meeting your- uh- expectations! We look forward to meeting your expectations tomorrow."

Yang was the one that finally moved the conversation forward, though whether it was by tact or by sheer driving force of hunger was left unsaid. "Is there something we could help you with, headmaster? You could join us for lunch, if you'd like."

To this, however, Ozpin closed his eyes and sighed. "If only that were the case. I appreciate the offer, but I'm far too old to have a casual lunch break, as much as I would enjoy it. As rue as I am to disrupt your celebration, I am here on business." When he opened them, Weiss realized that he was looking directly at her. "Miss Schnee, would you be so kind as to lend me your time? There is something I would like to discuss with you."

He must have seen Weiss try to open her mouth, for he continued to speak. "It's about our dear friend, Mr…  _H. L._ "

H. L? Her brow furrowed, and she felt the rest of her team's gaze fall upon her shoulders. But as she racked her mind, the memory of her private conversation with the headmaster about a month ago came back to her.

Ozpin wanted to talk about Roman, and Weiss put one foot in front of the other.

"Weiss?" Ruby called out to her. "Is something wrong?"

She looked over her shoulder, where ice blue eyes met ones of soft silver. Her lips were spread in a frown, their team celebration cut short, and Weiss grimaced. No doubt she'd have to apologize to Ruby for that as well.

"I'm sorry for leaving, Ruby, but I'll be fine. Trust me."

* * *

Ozpin had made it a priority to apologize to Weiss as soon as they were out of earshot of her team, but the rest of the march back to his office was in silence. He was more interested in reaching the privacy of his tower than risk small talk out in the open, something that irked her to no end. He had pulled her away from her team, right when she could have attempted to find a way to speak with Ruby on her own. She still could find neither rhyme or reason as to why Ruby would have lied to Glynda during her debriefing, but then there was also the topic of romance, one that she hesitated to discuss even though she had been trying to steel herself for it.

Still, her irritation must have been apparent, as once Ozpin opened the doors to his room, with the quiet  _tick tock_  of his office, he apologized to her once more.

"Again, I'm sorry to have separated you from your team after your victory. I'm sure that you must have been in good spirits, and to tear you away to come here must have been jarring."

She closed her eyes and took a breath, doing her best to let the anger ebb and flow away. At least he was kind enough to provide her with some coffee, and she took a generous sip. "What's done is done," the words came slowly from her lips, "And besides, you would not have attempted to pull me away if it was not important."

Ozpin's head gave a small nod as he continued to go through a filing cabinet, one that was locked and stowed away to the side. "You are correct in that it is very important, as anything pertaining to Roman Torchwick would be." He finally pulled out a sheet of paper as well as a filing folder. With a final review, he came back to the desk and sat down in front of her. "Before I can fully disclose to you the purpose of why I brought you up here, though, I must ask that you review and sign this form."

Weiss felt her lips turn thin. As the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, documents and forms were not new to her. Her father constantly drilled into her head again and again that she must read all of the words on the form and carefully ask everything before she even touched a pen.

But as she reviewed what lay in front of her, Weiss' brow furrowed.

"Headmaster…" she trailed off, almost unsure if she could finish her sentence. But she swallowed and continued. "This is a non-disclosure agreement."

"You are correct, Miss Schnee. What I would like to share with you regarding Roman Torchwick in the immediate future is absolutely confidential." Ozpin leaned forward, drawing her attention back up to him. "It is not to leave this room, and under no means are you to tell your teammates about what will be discussed here."

She felt her lips purse, both by the nature of curiosity and apprehension regarding her teammates. "Why are you sharing this with me in particular?" She set the form down, her hands resting in her lap far away from the document. "I imagine that this would be something you would have liked to involve all parties in."

Ozpin gave a small nod, but instead of looking at her, he instead reached for his coffee mug, taking the vessel into his hands. "Given your…  _perspective_  of the situation and what you yourself are capable of seeing, I would agree with you. Team RWBY and JNPR are equally involved with Roman Torchwick, and ideally you should all be informed on what we have in store. However, I am here to share with you  _my_  understanding of the situation."

Taking a sip of his drink, Ozpin stood up from his chair and walked away from the desk, staring out the glass windows and into the campus grounds. "Team RWBY would appear to have a bit of a vigilante streak, wouldn't you agree? In fact, I would think that among the team you're the most discreet in your methods. Had the team's contributions not been towards our goal, and perhaps if they were without your name, I don't know if I would have been able to keep you as students."

Her hands folded across her chest, her cold blue eyes refusing to back down from his comment. "I don't see how this excludes the rest of my team from being here. And what of Team JNPR? They are as equally involved as my team."

Another sip. "Yang Xiao Long has been observed to be rambunctious. She is credited with having vandalized private property in addition to contributing to damage to Vale's highway system. And as useful as Blake Belladonna's connection to the White Fang might be, that itself is an equal liability in this case. The fact that I am harboring a second criminal is already-"

" _Ex_ -criminal, headmaster."

Ozpin didn't finish his sentence. Instead he only sighed. "Regardless, facts are facts. And in the end, Team JNPR may have their own assignment in the near future as well. It would be unwise to speak with them about Roman at this time."

As with any situation where something was left out from her experience when learning about business, Weiss found his exclusion of Ruby to be highly suspect. Given the situation, she was unsure if she truly wanted to push for more answers than necessary, but still she gave in. The air was already thick with possible hostilities - what was another name in this case? "And what of Ruby? Is there a reason why you're leaving out my partner?"

Another sip, and this time he turned back to her. "I would have thought she would be the most obvious one, Miss Schnee. She is one of the youngest students I have, and yet she has already engaged with Roman Torchwick on one occasion. She is altruistic to a fault. If she were to learn what I would like to show you now, do you really think she wouldn't try to confront him again?"

He had paused in his speech, as if expecting her to interrupt, but she said nothing and he continued. "The truth of the matter is that as much as I want to tell the rest of your team, the risk is too great. With the Vytal Tournament being held, our hands are tied with the safety of the general public. Had it been outside of the tournament season I assure you I would have been more willing to have all four of you in here. But I do not have that luxury." Turning back from the campus, he walked back to his desk and sat down. When his eyes locked onto hers, it was with a straight gaze, one that seemed to challenge her own. "You are the only one I can fully trust at this time to both keep this information to yourself while also adhering the the additional task I would like to share with you. Do I have your word, Miss Schnee?"

To this she said nothing. She focused in on the form again.

Ozpin had made it sound as though she was about to embark upon a mission. She would undoubtedly know more about Torchwick, but to be harboring this information while the rest of her team was clueless left a sour taste in her mouth.

"This is more than just about Torchwick, isn't it, Headmaster."

"That would be correct. While Roman himself is just one man, it is the larger entity that he was a part of that is dangerous. However, while ties have been severed, neither can we allow them to catch wind of what we are planning to do." Ozpin leaned forward just a tiny bit. "Do I have your word?"

She stared at the document for what felt like years. The methodic and spinning gears, grinding and ticking away dragged time along.

"You make it sound like it's the end of the world." He made no response, only sipping his coffee again. With a frustrated sigh and a shake of her head, she signed the document and slid it back to him. "Tell me about Roman."

He gave the form a quick one-over, verifying that she had signed it before sliding it away. "Thank you, Miss Schnee. The NDA is in effect until the end of the tournament, where I plan to announce what will be happening regarding Roman to both RWBY and JNPR, though I hope that I will be able to have started the process already." He took a quick breath before looking up at Weiss again. "We are ending the joint operation with him and will be turning him into police custody."

… So this was it then. Thus ended her interaction with Roman Torchwick. Thus ended a part of her road to bringing justice for the ones that were wronged and lost to the Schnee family. "What made you end the partnership?"

"I had a feeling you would ask that. If it were just the announcement, I would not have required you to sign the document. But in this case, I wanted to be as transparent and accountable as possible." Placing the filing folder in front of Weiss, he opened the document and began to go through it. "Would you be able to describe Neo's looks to me again? And not how she looked like when you encountered her on the train. I would like for you to describe how she was during your time against the Paladin."

Her blue eyes closed momentarily, but they opened just as quickly. Neo was a character that was impossible to forget. A character that Ozpin seemed to express fear in.

"She had three tones in her hair. Pink, white, and brown. And she seemed quite skilled as well. Her semblance seemed to be around the use of illusions that shattered upon impact, creating a distraction to allow her to escape. Is there something specific you would like to mention?"

"What you have shared is sufficient, Miss Schnee." Pulling out three pictures from the folder and a sheet attached to each one, he spread them out in front of her, and she already felt herself paling.

_Brown hair. Short range teleportation_

_Pink hair. Disguising_

_White hair. Illusionary placement_

Being a master of disguise was something anyone could achieve off with enough practice. But she had seen Neo utilize teleportation and the illusions firsthand. She began to read the sheets, short biographies describing the teammates. But as she got to the third one, she noticed that the face looked eerily similar to the person they recently 'apprehended'.

"Do you remember what I said about Roman's teammates? How they started to disappear one at a time?"

She felt her head shake. "Headmaster, this can't be possible."

"I thought that as well when I first heard your description in the debriefing," Ozpin cut in. "But based on what I have here, I have reason to believe that the 'Neo' we have today is not who they were prior to the disappearances. The fact that Neo looks like one of Roman's teammates now heavily lends to the idea that they can only be described as a body snatcher. At some point, Roman was able to arrange them to be exposed to Neo, and they took over the body of his teammates, most likely in whole."

"And… And now that she's here," Weiss' heart began to beat loudly. "Not only can she help get Roman out, she could potentially obtain more victims."

"That would be correct. Roman's team was one that I closely monitored in terms of direction. With how their semblances turned out, they were a team designed for espionage and to help protect the fellow man from those who would do wrong. I do not know how skilled Neo is, but if they retain some of the caliber that Roman's teammates had, it is very-"

" _Wait._ " Her boots slammed into the floor, propelling Weiss to her full height. "I thought you said you didn't know Roman personally."

"That is correct, Miss Schnee." Ozpin showed no sign of surprise, but his head tilted up to face her. "I do not know him on an extremely personal level. We might have become acquaintances, but I would not call us friends in any manner. However, as the one who granted him the scholarship into Beacon, I oversaw his progress. And as I discussed in our last conversation, Roman was meant to be someone who would possibly replace me."

"You did mention that, yes," her voice was rising. "I recall that very clearly." She tried to breathe slowly, to take a moment to pause, to be rational-

_You know, Miss Weiss, you and I aren't so different._

But nothing worked. All she could hear was his taunting voice. "But you certainly failed to mention that his team was our predecessor!"

Ozpin did not give an immediate answer, merely folding his hands in front of him. Whether she spoke from rage or because he ceded the moment to her, she was unsure, but she continued. "Why? Why us?"

_I daresay you're much more like me than I expected._

She was treading in the footsteps of a criminal, and it made her sick to her stomach.

"You seem particularly affected by this revelation," his gaze was level, unreadable, and Weiss turned away at what felt like an accusation.

"Just answer my question."

There was a pause from him, but finally Ozpin spoke. "Very well then. As I mentioned, more and more are we faced with people who would seek to harm those around them. Roman and his team were secretly tested to see if they could uphold a mantle and failed because of his eventual lack of empathy towards his neighbor. We do not have a champion for the common person from them in the end. But this failure does not negate the need to pursue one, and with how you've performed I still firmly believe that RWBY and JNPR are the best candidates for it."

"After this is all over, should Team RWBY and JNPR wish to continue down this path, I will arrange the classes needed to provide this specialty to you."

She tried to bring herself back to a level of rationale. Weiss would still have her training. She would still be a hunter of men, and Roman would be removed from her life. She would never be reminded that the two of them were once on the same path.

"I trust that this is satisfactory for you, Miss Schnee?"

She sat herself down, fists and fingers shaking. "Calling me satisfied would be generous," she spat, "but there is nothing that can be done about it for now." She shut her eyes, squeezed the lids, and reopened them with a breath. "This is a lot to take in, but I know it's not the end of it. You were talking about a task for me to handle?"

Ozpin gave her a small nod. "That would be correct. In addition to learning more about how dangerous Roman and Neo truly are, to say that the student body is at risk is an understatement. Ideally, we would protect all of them, and for the most part General Ironwood's forces are helping with that. However, we cannot rule out that our true target may make a move. If this were to happen, the military's first duty is to the people of Vale. In a true crisis situation, they cannot also make sure that Roman Torchwick does not escape."

Her eyebrow rose and her lips pursed into a frown. While she prided herself in her abilities, neither did she believe she was so skilled to ensure the safety of hundreds of students. "So you want me to help protect the student body?"

"Not quite, Miss Schnee. I would not be so foolish to think it feasible for one person to protect so many. However, this leads me to the particular task I have for you." He pushed his glasses up and stared Weiss in the eye, unwavering in his voice. "You must protect Ruby at all costs, especially from Neo. Do not let her engage with Roman or Neo under any circumstances."

"Is that not what any student would do for their partner?"

"It may sound redundant, but I must reiterate that you stay by her side as much as possible during this tournament."

This might finally give her an opportunity to speak with Ruby, but it was certainly not under the circumstances she wanted. This would be stressful on her, and with what was at risk there would be no time for her own goals. "And what makes her so special?"

"She is the youngest student here, and is certainly talented for her age," Ozpin slowly spoke again, as if rehearsed. "Losing her would be terrible for Beacon."

Her arms folded over her chest and she leaned back in her chair. "So it is for status purposes, then. You want to protect her because it keeps up Beacon's reputation."

"... From your perspective, that would not be wrong."

Never mind that she was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. If age made Ruby special, then Weiss should have been one a high profile character that deserved similar treatment. But Ozpin was clearly hinting that there was more. This whole meeting reeked of closed doors and red tape that was being danced in front of her face.

"Hmph, very well then," she nearly spat out. "Is there anything else?"

"Not at this time, Miss Schnee. And thank you for your patience."

"Then once this tournament is done, I would like for you and I to have another discussion with my teammates present. I would like to be privy as to why my partner is  _so very important_  to you."

As soon as she had finished giving her piece, she was out of the seat and moving towards the elevator. The tournament would be over in several days. She would hold out until it was over, Roman and Neo would be taken back into custody, and then she could continue without their influence.

And technically, if opportunities panned out for the better, she could have her conversation with Ruby about the lying, and maybe just talk about her feelings. But not now. Her own emotions were too high. She wanted to be with Ruby to fulfill the role Ozpin assigned to her, and yet she also wanted to lay down in her dorm bed, to let everything from her meeting with the headmaster sink in.

But perhaps most importantly, she needed to re-acknowledge to herself that Weiss Schnee was not Roman H. L. Torchwick in any way, shape, or form.

This whole thing was a fucking mess.


	20. The Snake Rears Its Head

It started with an upset in the tournament. It seemed so normal - accidents happened in sporting events of all kinds. And in a tournament based upon pitting the skills of hunters against each other, the only thing keeping this from being a full-blown bloodsport was the auras that each individual carried.

But Roman knew better than to chalk it up to chance. That was what the civilian, the bystander, the witness did. They watched, thought it didn't pertain to them, and moved on. Certain things just weren't worth their time and input, after all. A guard going in and then never coming back out. A beggar having a long conversation on a man at a bench. A hungry child going somewhere he clearly shouldn't be. So many unnoticed moments.

Of course, it helped that he had a clear profile of who Mercury and Emerald were. So when Yang had her final match of the tournament and was physically escorted off the field, he knew the time was soon. Whatever the crowd thought they saw was only half the story.

The tournament was halted after the 'mishap' and scheduled to continue on the day after. But he prepared everything he had in the meantime regardless. He put the cane he was given into an easily accessible place. He recounted whatever supplies he had (nothing except half of a cigar and his lighter, but Neo would help with that shortly). His hands methodically scrounged into the deepest corners of his pockets - from visible the ones in his pants to the one inside his hat. All empty, of course - Ozpin was thorough in demanding a full check of his wardrobe. But it paid dividends to know everything there was to know.

All that remained now was to wait. Nearly a quarter after six in the evening, with the next match starting in seconds - Nikos against that strange orange-haired girl from the docks. It would happen tonight - his gut instinct told him so. Cinder's plan hadn't changed one bit, and now was the time to strike. Rile up the audience to attract Grimm into Vale and decimate the city. There might have been a secondary goal, but that wasn't his concern. If he had his way, she would only get to the first and have nothing else afterward.

And when the last blade fell, scattered around a frankenstein of metal parts, the screen of his scroll turned red and black. Cinder's voice echoed through the otherwise silent room and he stood up. All dressed and ready to go, he took slow, careful steps towards his lended cane, grasping the hook of it and taking it with him. Then he put himself at the seat he was forced to take every time he was served a meal, staring forward at the pale barrier that blocked his way out. His cane hung at the back of seat, and he was careful to hide the length of it behind his leg.

The guards would come in soon. Either because they needed to move him to somewhere more secure or to try and kill him. He could already hear the sirens in the distance, the screech of Grimm in the skies.

When the door finally opened, though, instead it was Neo who stood in the opening and he smiled. Blood was already beginning to pool around the wooden frames going into the hallway. More sanguine drops were plinking against the ground from the blade that protruded from the tip of her parasol. With slow and solid steps, she walked up and jammed the the blade into the projector.

With a flickering fade, Roman was free once more. And more importantly, she had her cane with him. With a telegraphed toss, she threw it into the air and he snatched its length.

"I had a plan to escape, you know."

Neo's fingers quickly signed away.

" _Never doubted you, boss._ "

With a simple spin of the cane, he began to review its parts and openings. Check the hammers. Check the hatches.

There was a slight cough, politely notifying him to look up at Neo. She signed, and he shook his head.

"I trust you with maintaining my weapon, Neo. If we were in a more heated moment I'd get to fighting in a heartbeat. But we're not, and the last thing I want is for my weapon to break down on me."

He press the button on the handle for the final check. Like that night when they went to see Junior, the cane lengthened itself and turned to reveal the ignition chamber. Angling himself to the light, he combed the space for any debris, any dust that shouldn't belong. But it was clear and he closed it. With a satisfied hum, he closed the chamber and let the tip of the cane clack against the floor.

He gave a quick look at Neo, "Did you bring it?"

Reaching into her pocket, she produced a pack of cigars, all marked with foiled red tape just a bit past the halfway mark. As he walked over, she took one out and held it to him, tape-side going into his mouth.

Roman leaned over and put his lips around it. "Aww, thanks," he said with a small smile as he flipped out his lighter, quickly striking it and bringing the flame up to the end of the cigar. A deep breath - he missed this flavor.

Don't smoke past the tape.

"I'm a bit curious, though, Neo. What's the occasion? You're not always this gracious."

" _Silver eyes_."

"Hah," he smiled behind the cigar, "thought you'd like a chance at her." He walked out the door, looking at the dead guards. Taking a careful knee at their bodies to avoid the blood, his hands began to slowly rifle through, digging into each and every corner he could think of. "Our primary objective here is Cinder. Once that bitch is dead, escape becomes our next goal. But if Red tries to stop us, well," he found what he was looking for - the soldier's scroll, "she's fair game."

Holding up the device, Neo quickly grabbed it from him, pulling out a smaller device and plugging it in. Her eyes changed colors, to a neon green, and her fingers began to work. It was a little slow, as if she was just remembering how to do it, but soon she began to move faster and faster.

"Once you've hacked in, get Junior to send his girls and a ride to the west side of campus. Tell them that their targets are Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black."

" _He won't like lending them out._ "

"Then tell him that once we get back with his girls in tow, we're going to make sure that his club is going to be the safest place for miles until this all settles down."

Some more taps at the screen. Then she looked up at him.

" _So what now?_ "

It was easy to figure out Ruby's objective. Caring to a fault and with a vigilante streak, she would go for the perpetrators and minimize the damage. And with the tutelage he provided, she now had at least some level of thought to achieve it. Not enough, but at least some. But before that, Roman was aware that she was only herself - capable of some things, but not everything. She would need her team.

He strode down the hall, heading towards the exit of the dorm. "We find Little Red's teammates."

They avoided everyone they could. Guards, Grimm, students, hunters, soldiers, the White Fang, anything and everything that had a pulse. He still remembered where the dorms were, having walked through the campus hundreds of his times as a student, so the journey was quick.

When they arrived, there wasn't much occurring in the area. Perhaps the Grimm were avoiding it for one reason or another. Perhaps they knew that the dorms carried hundreds of students that were just as capable of stopping them. Either way, it was a clear path into the building.

He and Neo didn't have to go very far through the halls, either. With some telltale bangs, ones that he recognized from his own encounters with her, Yang rounded the corner of the hallway, feet coming to a slow patter once she realized who stood in front of her.

"Torchwick."

"I'm not here for you, Blondie," his cigar grew bright red, "but I am here  _for_ you."

Her fingers curled into a ball, arms bent, shoulders hunched. Ready to spring. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Roman turned around on his heels, slowly heading out the way he came. "Come with me and you'll find out. Besides, you'll get to have your fun in being a real huntress. Not just students learning the trade, but actual hunting and defeating of Grimm." His eyes scanned the ground, looking for anything that could be useful, but everything was still in place. Nothing in the dorm was touched by anything yet. "Besides, it's safer than staying here."

A scoff. "Safer? With you?"

His cane moved in the direction of Neo, "With us, in particular." What he didn't say was that it was also safer for him to have her around, but that was beyond what she needed to know. "You might not have seen too much of our fighting skill, but I'm sure you recall our little game onstage, right? Back on the first evening?"

He could hear the gears in her mind, ticking and tocking away at the choice in front of her. She knew he wasn't a good choice. But what else did she have? Stay here and take her chances with the Atlas military?

"If you come with me, I can help you get your name cleared." He felt a grin split across his lips as he turned his head to face her. "But that's only worth a damn if you survive the night, of course."

At first, silence. Then there was finally a nod. "... Okay then. But we're finding Ruby first. She was at the arena with Weiss."

He turned his head away before his frown could be seen. "Good enough." Gazing at the floating arena in the sky, swarmed by Grimm, he could see a single white speck of a platform, lowering itself through the darkness.

"Neo and I were hoping we would meet up with her either way." He could almost hear Neo's grin forming, but she wisely turned her back and followed after him. "So come along, now. Hopefully we'll run into your kitty friend along the way."

There was no biting retort though. Instead, just the heavy clop of her boots against the dorm's worn and dirtied carpet. "Let's just get going." Perhaps she had enough of him already. Roman didn't doubt it from her nature. But it was curt enough to be poignant. And for her to not raise her voice about her partner was certainly interesting. He remembered how close those two were at the beginning of the class. Maybe even inseparable.

He was looking too deep into it. There wasn't enough evidence to come to a clear conclusion and he was just wasting time. "Good," he took another drag from his cigar. "Now let's hit the stairs. We need to get to the roof."

"Stairs?"

"What," his eyes whirled over to her, "did you think we were going to actually go to her?"

"Torchwick, you just-"

"Look at it this way," he felt his own eyes narrow. "The way I see it is like this - you're right in that we could go through this mess of a campus and try to meet your sister halfway. But that runs the chance of us going by each other. So instead, we're going to stay put, get to the highest point we can, and let them come to us. She knows you're here, and she'll be coming right for us."

"Hey," she reached out and grabbed his coat, pulling him down a little bit, "you listen up you piece of shit. I don't know what you want, but that is my little sister out there. You're going to bring me to her."

All he did was take a deep breath and readjust his hat. Neo had done the rest of it for him. No sooner had Yang finished her sentence did a sharp tip find itself drawn against her neck, the patterns of her parasol an innocent comparison to the weapon.

"Put it down, Neo. We're not here to make enemies," with a strong jostle of her hands, Yang let go of him and he straightened his coat. "And I'd appreciate your cooperation, Blondie. Now let's get climbing."

The rest of their way up was in silence. Slow but determined footsteps, one in front of the other. In a minute they had hit the top and Yang slammed the door open, the metal clang becoming nothing unusual through the yells and screams and gunshots. Scanning the sky again, he saw that the white platform was still lowering, surprisingly untouched by the Grimm in the sky. Perhaps they were all focused on bigger platform up above.

He looked towards Yang, and once he was sure he had her attention, he pointed his cane at the small glyph in the sky. "That's Miss Weiss' doing, don't you think?"

"Would make sense," she conceded.

"Good," he smiled and took another puff, the smoke quickly becoming lost in the sky. "Why don't you fire off some rounds into the air, give them something to know you're over here."

"Like a flare?"

He didn't acknowledge her question, his eyes trained on the white disk. "Two rounds should be sufficient." Two really would be sufficient, but getting her to waste a third would be beneficial in the long run. "Three if you're worried about them missing the first two."

"Why not just use my scroll?"

Roman almost rolled his eyes. "And did you forget the giant broadcast that everyone just got? I wouldn't trust that tower to be  _tall_  after tonight." Nevermind that Neo just used the scroll from the dead soldier to send a message to Junior. But Yang didn't need to know that.

In the end, there was silence - no more words from her, just plain breathing. He didn't have to worry about her trying to hit him. Neo was watching her carefully, after all. And soon enough, he heard it.

_Bang. Bang._

A breath.

_Bang._

He smiled. Just perfect.

* * *

It was such a blur that, in all honesty, Weiss wasn't sure if it happened at all. There was that mishap between her sister and Ruby's uncle. Afterward, it was somehow followed by afternoon tea with her sister. And then there was her doubles match with Yang on the next day. All fine and good, given the things that weighed in the back of her mind. She was sure that Ozpin would forgive her for leaving Ruby alone when she had to, and felt that she more than made up for it with all the time in between spent making sure that she was still in one piece.

But with each passing moment of the tournament, all she could think of was the impending moment - that one tipping point where everything would start to turn.

And then it started to happen. Yang, whom they elected to enter into the final round of the tournament, was ejected for attacking her opponent after the match had ended. It was bewildering to Weiss. There was no way to believe that she was so heavily impacted by the events of Mountain Glenn that she would begin to hallucinate.

Blake's decision in regards to the moment wasn't helping either.

"I believe that you saw what you did. But I don't believe that your opponent did what you said he did."

The moment those words left her mouth, it was like it had suddenly gotten cold enough to snow in their dorm room. When Yang finally spoke, it was cracked and lilted. "What… What the hell do you mean by that?"

It took a moment for Weiss to recognize it as a tone of anguish.

"I mean exactly what I said," Blake was trying to keep it slow, trying to stay in control of the conversation. "Whatever you saw Mercury do, you interpreted it as dangerous to yourself and reacted. But what he did do in the end was entirely harmless and now we are seated with the consequences."

"S-So you don't believe me," Yang firmly said, fists pressing into her thighs. "That's what you're-"

"Yang, you're  _not listening_ to me," Blake raised her voice. "You know where I've been with the White Fang. I've seen some of my best friends go through what you just did." A fearless, level stare. "And it's perfectly normal."

When she finally spoke again, it was so quiet - a hoarse whisper. "You can't take what I saw away from me, Blake. You can't take that away from me."

Blake took a deep breath. "I'm  _not_."

Whatever was in partners' minds afterward remained in them, for nothing else was said regarding it. This was the end of the conversation for now, at least. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that Yang was mollified by her statement. Not happy with it, but accepting of it. Weiss was sure that once the night had come and gone, things would be better between the two of them. Not back to the way things were so soon, but at least better than they ended today.

Any hopes of that were dashed, though, after Pyrrha's match against Penny. In one moment Ruby was right next to her, looking for a seat to watch the match, and then suddenly she disappeared. Ozpin's request dangled in the back of her mind in a slow and growing panic as she tried to find her. When she fished out her scroll to try and call her, it only got worse when she didn't pick up and Weiss saw that somehow her aura had been damaged, if only slightly.

And then when she did find her, she was rushing out of an employee-only door and nearly barrelled her over - just in time to see Penny sliced to pieces. But instead of blood and guts, there was oil and machinery spilling out into the arena floor.

Weiss would have been lying to say that she was close to the girl. While clearly a proficient fighter, she was lacking in social graces. But to see her brutally ripped apart, her however-fake life ending in sliced circuitry, was still a shocking sight to see.

" _Penny!_ "

By the time Weiss registered the scream, Ruby was already halfway to the center of the arena. And that's when the voice started up. It was saying something about false securities - that those in power held it all and betrayed their trust. On one hand, she couldn't agree with it. Ozpin might have held power over her, both in the student and teacher relationship and that he held great authority in general, but his actions were intended to protect in the most secretive of ways.

But to know that he was the one that put her on this path, that because of him she was following in the footsteps of Roman Torchwick, was a dark fact that she found troubling to accept.

She scrunched her eyes. Don't allow the enemy to take a foothold. That would only make it worse. Shaking herself free, Weiss realized that the speech was over and replaced with low and strong sirens. Grimm. And not just the ones that were in Forever Falls. Not just the ones that were in Mountain Glenn. The clear glass of the skydome revealed black and white bodies she had seen only in books, shaped like a winged horse or lion and with bladed talons and sharp beaks. Right before a giant Nevermore showed up and covered the night sky.

They needed to get going.

"Ruby!" she reached for her shoulder. "We need to go. We can't stay here."

But the girl was motionless. Even a light jostle did nothing. A frustrated growl left her mouth, and she moved in front of her partner. She was not going to let anything happen to her. Not when Ozpin tasked her with her protection. Not when she herself wanted to keep her alive for her own purposes.

But when Weiss looked up, ice blue eyes stared into soft silver, and it was the angriest she had ever seen Ruby. If there was any shred of doubt regarding her and Yang's relationship as half sisters, it was gone now. The both of them had this slow narrowing of their gaze, lips upturning, a low and hissing breath. A clenching of fists.

It was different, this rage in her gaze.

"I know that voice."

"Ruby?"

"It's Cinder." Without a missing a beat, she took out her scroll, swiping and tapping away at the screen.

"That team from Haven?"

"Yeah, the one that entered with only three people," a few more taps at the screen and she put the scroll away with a low growl. "Ugh, it's so obvious now that I think about it. Neo was probably supposed to be their fourth teammate, but we all know how that went down."

The more Weiss let Ruby go on, the worse the situation looked. She needed to get her to focus on evacuating. Whatever she had set her mind on, they were nowhere near ready to deal with it. "Ruby, we can't fight them. Hell, you don't even know if it's really her. She could have been using a-"

" _Weiss_ ," a sharp frown was on her face as she cut her off. Ruby then lifted up the hem of her top, high enough to show past her navel and the darkening bruise next to it. "I just saw Mercury walking on two legs before eating a good solid kick to the stomach. It's them."

She could feel her teeth grinding against each other. Was there no way out? Was Ruby so set in revenge and unable to see the danger she was walking into? Right as her lips parted, there was the sound of smashing glass. Her eyes snapped up, arms flying up to cover her head from any of the shards, but all that appeared was a single armored locker.

"This whole thing is her fault." Ruby walked up to it and punched in her code, the faint a ting of a bell acknowledging it. "My sister looked like a monster on the broadcast, Yang and Blake are now on crummy terms, and Penny… Penny is gone." Pressurized slides hissed, leading up to a click. Ruby flung the heavy door open, pulling out Crescent Rose from the inside. "But... But most of all," her voice was calmer now, shoulders slacked, "it's you that worries me the most."

She felt herself recoil, ice blue eyes widening as her silver ones met hers. "Me?"

"Do you remember all the sleep you lost? All the times we were looking at this like a game, you were there to reel us back in. The research in the library, that time where we first met Neo, Junior's club, the training before the dance… you've been the most invested out of all of us, Weiss."

She was very invested, wasn't she? She felt her neck slacken, eyes falling to her shoes against the hard arena floor as Ruby continued.

"And now this is it. This is what we've prepared for. We have our culprit, and we might still be learning, but we've got some of the specialties needed to make a difference here. And if our contributions can end it here, I say it's worth a shot."

More glass shattered as the Nevermore thrashed above. But a myriad of lockers came down with it, slamming into the ground beside them. It looks like other students had the same idea in mind.

"I mean, you want this, don't you?"

She wanted this. She really did.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but Ruby's has a point," Pyrrha stepped into their conversation. "This is what we were expecting after all, right? To go after the ones that put us here?" Her eyes fell to the broken machine body. "I don't know this girl very well, but it's clear that while we met in a tournament, this could have been avoided." Her shoulders were tense, and though her gloves hid her hands, with the way her arms were shaking Weiss was sure that Pyrrha's knuckles were as white as her own hair.

The bodies present wanted a fight. So did she, but with the risk at hand, with Ozpin's wishes-

Ruby called out again, drawing her back to her. "Are you with me, Weiss?"

Whether she thought it was a good idea or not, Ozpin wanted her at Ruby's side anyway.

"Okay, but we're not doing this alone. Not with just us two and JNPR. We need Yang and Blake." She began to go through her own scroll, calling down her own locker as well. "And remember," she looked at Ruby, doing her best to confirm that this was anything but a bad decision, "ourselves and our teams first."

"And only after you've thought of everything."

Weiss prayed that it wouldn't come down to it in the end. As the other students around them got their weapons, all rearing for a fight, she picked out the rest of Team JNPR and locked eyes with them. They were slowly cutting through the surrounding people, making a sharp beeline towards their position.

"Alright, first things first - ground level." Ruby turned a quick eye towards her. "Weiss, I know you can have your glyphs act like platforms. Think you can make it through the mess up here to the bottom?"

Supporting herself was effortless - they were her own glyphs after all. Additional weight was certainly possible, but taking into account the entirety of JNPR and Ruby left her with grimacing lips, ears ringing from the screech above. "I can bring us down, but you're going to have to keep the Grimm off of us."

"Good enough." Without another word, Ruby took off from the platform and the rest trailed after her. With a quick glyph, they were able to cross back into the arena seating and through the hallways. Within moments they had reached the skydocks and the civilians lining up for a shuttle off the structure.

"This… is a lot of people," Jaune whispered. There had to be hundreds still stranded, waiting for an evacuation that might never make it in time. Desperate people who would grab at any shred of hope to get out of here alive.

Anyone that saw her glyph might think it was a way out, further jeopardizing them. "We can't let them on board," she found herself saying. "I don't think I can carry much more than just us."

Turn the heel. Don't look at them. "I'll try to make it fast. Hopefully no one will notice." Weiss didn't look over her shoulder as she strode to the edge. Drawing out Myrtenaster and focusing on herself, she conjured a glyph that stuck out from the the edge of the platform. She just needed to make it like she always did. Enough physical force to support their weight, and then let gravity gently do the rest and carry them down.

The lines of the glyph became more solid, glowed more brightly. "Ruby, test it for me."

The small girl stepped on, tapping the lines and clear spaces for good measure. "Feels solid. Just have go make it bigger now."

She moved herself onto the glyph and knelt down, her eyes falling shut for a moment. A deep breath, and she became aware of her breathing, of the slight pulse in her veins. She had done this with Ruby before, back in Mountain Glenn to help them get to the train. But four more students made her glad that they only planned to descend to the ground.

It grew bigger - almost as large as their dorm. "Okay. Get on." Team JNPR wasted no time in walking aboard. Everything was good. Everything was fine. They could start-

"Hey! You can take one more, right?" She froze, a literal doe in the headlights.

"I'm sorry sir, but this is not a lifeboat."

"There's so much space though. One more person won't hurt. You can take me with you!"

"We're moving to enter a combat zone. You should stay here with the military. They'll keep you safe."

"You can't leave me here! You're students training to be hunters, you should be able to-"

"Weiss," Ruby's voice was the only thing that was clear to her, "move us away from the platform."

Don't think about it, just move. Shift the center of gravity away from the metal structures.

"Hey, come back! Don't you do that!" A sharp yell. "Don't you even think about doing that! You're not just leaving me here, you filthy piece of-"

She was abandoning someone who was in need. Her better morals screamed to stop moving and get the person. But she shook the thought from her head. Shift the center of gravity. Away from the metal.

"Get back here! Damnit, I said-"

" _Weiss, now!_ "

"You get back here right this instant!"

A loud, distinct crack pierced the air and it was followed by the plink of metal against metal, one that Weiss was all too familiar with from hours and hours of training. She looked up to see a smoking bullet hole at the man's feet as he fell over. There was a moment of shock on his face, but it was quickly replaced by anger again.

"Worthless, all of you! You're just some fucking kids!"

She closed her eyes again. Make it move faster. Make the damn thing move faster.

"You're supposed to protect me! Protect the citizens! Fuck you! Fuck all of you! How dare you try to shoot me! How-"

That was all Weiss heard before the voice settled into the distance, too far to be understood. The cool night air was rushing through, lifting her hair to the side. But that bullet still shot through to the back of her mind. She was breathing a bit heavier than she had expected, than she had wanted to.

And so was Ruby. A small yet heavy hand fell onto her shoulder, gripping tight. She would have given anything to just let her know she was there, to even just put her own hand upon hers. No Team JNPR to interrupt them on their way down through the night sky or to force her to stay focused. She was more than confident in that she could support just the two of them with ease.

A deep breath. "He didn't mean that at all, Ruby," she quietly said. The others around them seemed to be silent, doing their best to tune out the conversation, to give them even just a tiny imitation of privacy.

"I-I still shot at him."

"You didn't have much choice."

"Y-Yeah." There was a sharp sniff, and Ruby's voice came back firmer. "Yeah. I guess didn't. I mean," she gulped, "it's about us, right?"

It was a cold stab to the chest - colder than anything Weiss knew in Atlas. Her own desires led her here, after all. To stop those from hurting her company, from hurting those she held dear, it had put her in a position where she would do anything to achieve it. But the more she thought about it, the more it became clear that Ruby was starting to pay the price for it, even though it was supposed to be her job to make sure that they never got to that point, to need to put themselves ahead of others. So far she was spared from the uglier side of it all.

"He… he just- I saw his face and the way he moved and I just-"

"You had to stop him," she finished for her, and she felt the small grip on her shoulder tighten just a little bit.

"I would have shot him, Weiss. If he took one more step, I… I would have-"

"I know, and it's okay," she let her voice be firm. Her partner needed her to be firm, just like all the other times. "Nothing's changed."

"... Y-Yeah." A pause, one that lasted just long enough for Weiss to know that Ruby believed her. "Okay."

The rest of the way down was silent - no Grimm seemed intent on blocking their way. Only a trio of flares registered to them in their descent through the night.

"That's Yang." Pyrrha finally said. "I'd recognize those shots anywhere."

Ruby took a breath, as if to tighten her muscles and harden her body for the night to come. "Then that's our direction."

She didn't let go of her shoulder until they touched the ground. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Oh boy, this was a bit of a tough chapter to get out. On one hand, we have the bombshell that was dropped in the last chapter. We have Team RWBY's match, but more important we have the bombshell issue that is Neo. And then afterward we have a... short timeskip? Yeah, I don't know how I could have avoided it. JNPR's match wasn't important. Qrow and Winter, despite being my main ship it seems for this show, aren't the focus of this story and thus are looked over. And their doubles match wasn't very important either, sadly - it's important for Weiss' development in the show, but not for what I have in here. So a small skip ahead was needed in the end. The real hard part was getting it to all work together, but I got it in the end I think.
> 
> But hey, now we get to the good part - some of the things that I've been sitting on for a while are now starting to come across. The next few chapters are going to be a bit of a ride, so hang tight!
> 
> Beta'd by ImSoAwesome, who now goes by Great White Sharkos
> 
> As for my writing choices, the ending for this chapter was toned down by a good bit. Instead of shooting at the guy's feet, Ruby was originally going to kill the person. But after some thought, this seemed both unrealistic to Ruby (not enough time has passed for her to make such a decision so quickly), but this also brought up a few problems regarding violence in the U.S. So it was scrapped, and I believe that this version is way better in that while it still brings up the same concept (how far Ruby is willing to go), but also raises an additional aspect - the perception of the public eye. Altogether glad I was able to get it to work out.


	21. Breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NGL, I've been waiting for this moment for more than two years.

**Breakdown:**

When the glyph settled down and vanished away into the air, Weiss finally found the opportunity to observe and absorb the battlefield she landed in. There were bullets in the distance, and if she squinted she could see the white and black and lumbering shape of some Grimm. But for the moment, their location was calm. Some rubble was strewn about from the a previous confrontation, but she wasn’t privy to the spectacle or outcome.

No blood though. At least that was one thing to be grateful for.

“Come on,” Ruby said, marching forward with Crescent Rose in hand. “The dorms are this way. That’s where Yang’s shots came from.”

As she moved forward, red cape hanging off of her back, Weiss stood up and readied her own weapon. “I’d like to take this time to remind ourselves that this is a real situation. We don’t have General Ironwood or anyone else to provide us with support.”

“Right,” a voice came from behind her. Jaune. “Eyes and ears open, then. Pyrrha, can you see if there’s any metal on our path?”

“...Sorry to say, but while there’s nothing particularly unusual in our path,” she trailed off, hand extended forward, “there’s heavy interference. A lot of metal objects were knocked over and out of place. And even for the moving pieces, I can’t tell if it’s friendly or not.”

“So it’s as clear as it’ll ever be then,” Ruby continued to move. “Let’s get a move on.”

“Wait, we should check for more than just our current path.” All of their heads turned to Ren, who hadn’t said a word until now. “Pyrrha, what can you sense around us?”

This time the silence was longer. Green pupils became shielded by eyelids, her shoulders dropped and weapons fell to her sides. Her breathing slowed down to an even pace, chest slowly rising and falling.

“Paladins,” she tersely said. “I’m detecting large masses of metal, and that’s the only thing that could fit the profile.”

Jaune clicked his tongue, a frown settling upon him. “Damnit, I thought we took out what the White Fang had at Mountain Glenn.”

“They could be a part of the Atlas Military, but we’ll just have to be careful about it.”

“Well, until we can see what’s going on, there’s no point in sticking around.” Ruby’s scythe bobbed up and down. “Let’s get a move on.”

Not another word was shared among them as the group beginning its trek across the campus. Unlike Mountain Glenn, where they were immediately spotted and had to be quick, this required for them to be slow. Finding cover, staying hidden, and taking in whatever new information presented itself in the environment.

And Weiss could tell that Ruby hated it. She her fingers kept flexing on the grip of her weapon. She was the first to make a break for any cover she spotted, giving the excuse that she was the fastest and could return just as quickly if needed. And while she was supposed to keep an eye on the rest of the team’s approach, she hardly did so. It was slow-paced, unnatural for her and it was showing.

But there was also the added urgency of getting to her sister. Weiss had a feeling that if it were Winter that she was trying to get to, she would be just as impatient as Ruby. Their relationship might not have been as close in comparison to the two sisters, but it was still a valuable one to her.

As they rounded another corner, the entrance to the dorms came into sight. With a trail of rose petals, Ruby beelined to the front and hid behind one of the columns, for once turning back towards them and scanning the path for anything dangerous.

Her hand formed a signal. All clear. The rest of the moved forward as fast as their feet could carry them, taking a quick knee at at the corners. But before they could move into the building, there were gunshots, originating far too close for comfort. With a quick look to her left, Weiss could see a hail of bullets tearing through a sudden onset of Grimm, but there seemed to be no end to them. Though the beasts fell quickly, there were only so many bullets left until they would be overwhelmed.

It wasn’t their problem. Or, rather, it wasn’t  _ her _ problem. Ozpin had commanded that she protect Ruby, and that it was to take priority over all others. JNPR, however, was free game, and one look at Jaune’s face said the same thing.

“Ruby, I think-”

“No.”

Her partner looked over at the one who spoke, just as surprised as she was. “...Pyrrha?” For perhaps the first time in a long while, there was a face that was less than neutral on her. Her shoulders were tense, and lips were upturned, shadowed eyes gazing at Jaune.

“I mean,” she took a breath, closed her eyes, slackened the grip on her weapons. “I know what you’re thinking, Jaune. And while I understand what you would like to do, I would request that we continue with Team RWBY.”

“But Pyrrha, this is what our team was established for, right?” Jaune said, looking her in the eyes. Her vision fell to the floor before looking away to the side, towards the commotion.

“I did not enjoy being used by this woman to bring us to where we are now.” She tilted her head towards him, this time resuming her stoic gaze. “Whatever this is all leading up to, I want to be there. I want to make this right.”

As Weiss thought about it more in her head, having Team JNPR split off was beneficial for two main reasons. It would be less on her conscious to know that the team made a decision to help prevent casualties instead of single-mindedly pursuing Cinder. More importantly, though, while they were about to meet up with Yang, this resulted in an overall smaller team. This allowed her to devote her full attention to Ruby, making sure that nothing happened to her and letting them more easily navigate through the mess.

But Pyrrha brought up a good point in that the end of the night was still up in the air. Would she find herself squaring off against Cinder? Would she end up fighting Grimm until the Atlas Military was able to bring the situation under control?

Would she even survive?

Having JNPR with them would be a godsend in that sense. But she wasn’t allowed to make that decision. JNPR wasn’t her team, and while Ruby could make a suggestion otherwise, Jaune could make the final call if he wanted to. That was the point of giving each team separate roles after all, wasn’t it?

More gunfire and silence.

Then less gunfire. Roars began to take their place, and soon the sound of weapons cutting through Grimm filled the air. Weiss recognized some of the yells belonging to other students she had run into during her time at Beacon.

“I... “ Pyrrha gulped, “I won’t say that you owe me this, Jaune. That would be wrong. But I’d like for us to stay with Team RWBY.”

Finally, he spoke. “Look,” he stared her in the eye, “whatever happened in the arena is between you and whoever’s at the top of this. I can’t make that decision for you. That’s your sense of what’s right, and there’s nothing wrong with it.” He turned towards the combat, hands tightening on the grips of Crocea Mors and his shield. “But if I had to choose between stopping the villain and saving others, I would pick the latter. Villains will always be there. After we stop this one, there’s bound to be another. But we only have one set of friends, and that’s something that can’t be replaced.”

He closed his eyes again, and reopened them. “Team JNPR is to assist and support this group. Afterward, we will attempt to meet up with Team RWBY and continue to assist them.”

It was the first time Weiss heard Pyrrha raise her voice, “ _ Jaune- _ ”

“I know this doesn’t make you happy,” he started. “But tonight is about the lives we’re making a difference for.”

“And what of that man?” she stepped up to him. “The one we left up at the arena?”

“That was different,” he slowly said. “There were hunters and other military nearby. That man wasn’t at risk. They are, and we’re going. And like I said, we can find and help Team RWBY afterward.”

It was easy to tell that there was more. Pyrrha and Jaune were locked in a brief stare until he tore it away to move towards the ensuing battle. But for whatever reason, she remained silent as she slowly walked after him. Her entire body seemed to tremble in her steps, indignant at having her request be snubbed.

There would be a conversation for the two of them in the end, but that was neither here or now. Ren and Nora spared Weiss and Ruby no additional glance before heading off.

“Well, that settles it,” Ruby slowly said. “Come on.” With a spin on her heel, she entered the dorm building, and Weiss followed suit.

Out of sight, out of mind. JNPR was, for all intents and purposes, removed for the time being. “Yang must be up on the roof,” she said as she chased after Ruby. “That’s the only place where she could have gotten those shots off. Let’s find the stairs.”

Nothing else was shared between the two. Rocketing up the stairs was Ruby, skipping every other step. Weiss considered chasing after her and simply using her glyphs. Her thighs started to burn just a little to remind her that this was something to improve upon later. But finally they were at the top, and Ruby slammed the door open to the roof.

“Yang!” The girl darted to her sister, and nearly bowled her over onto her back. As Weiss exited through the opening, she scanned and saw that Blake had taken to moodily staring over the side, though she turned to look at the commotion the two sisters were causing.

But just before everything was good, just before she could really take respite in the fact that Team RWBY was here, another voice shattered everything.

“Ah, Little Red and Miss Weiss.” She spun back to face the entrance, just in time to see Roman push himself off of the wall with that terrible smile of his. “What a pleasure it is to see you.”

And right next to him was Neo. But she didn’t even seem to pay attention to her, gaze solely focused on Ruby.

Sending Team JNPR away had suddenly become a terrible idea.

\---

It had been a while since the two of them had met, Roman thought to himself. While both RWBY and JNPR knew of his presence during their mission in Mountain Glenn, he hadn’t actually interacted with them, preferring to watch from the darkness instead.

“Torchwick.” Her hands tightened around her weapon, ice blue eyes lingering on the girl next to him. Neo, finally realizing that she was being stared at, made no sound, simply giving an exaggerated curtsy to Weiss. “I thought you would have preferred to be in a more secure location tonight after these events.” Perhaps she was surprised at her presence, though it could be argued that she was just as surprised at his.

“And miss out on this prime teaching opportunity?” the end of his cigar burned orange before dimming again, “I think not.” With a quick scan, he noticed that no one else had bound up the stairs after Ruby and Weiss. Was it just the two of them at this time? “Though this begs the question - where is Team JNPR?” he looked at the girl in front of him, “I believe they were at the arena when this all happened. And I really don’t think you would have split apart at a time like this.”

A slight shake of the head, and a blink. “I don’t know where they’ve gone. We left them behind at the arena.”

While there was no way for Roman to prove it, his mind told him that it was a lie. Team RWBY and JNPR were sister teams in Ozpin’s little project, and there was reasonable doubt for the two of them to have started something without the other. But the real tell was how Ruby shot a quick glance at Weiss when she spoke. Had the girl remained still, he felt that he might have believed her. But for now it was wiser to leave it as it was. Better to have them think that they had him fooled when they didn’t. Something must have separated the two, meaning that there was good reason to expect Team JNPR to reconvene with them.

“That’s a shame then,” he turned to look towards the floating arena. “I think they would have liked what I have planned for the night.”

“And that is?”

“We start to live up to the name of our Criminal Specialties Class and go after the one in charge.”

“So…” Ruby peeped into the conversation, taking away control from Weiss, “sort of like my original goal then.”

Just as he expected. Of course she’d want to go after her. “Sounds like we’re on the same page then. Neo, if you would, please.” Without another word, the girl began to tap away at her scroll, pulling up an image of Cinder. “One of Junior’s men was able to snag a picture of what we believe to be is the woman behind all this.”

“That’s her,” Ruby spoke again, coming close to the scroll. “Though it’s strange that she would come directly to the site. Wouldn’t she want to keep her hands clean of everything? Based on what Ozpin and the general shared, that’s how she’s operated so far, it seems.”

“I find it a bit unusual as well,” he continued. “Perhaps there’s something she’s looking for here - something that gave her a reason to come onto this campus. But at the end of the day, she’s here and we’re going to do something about it.”

Just like how he didn’t buy her lie, Weiss was showing signs that she wasn’t buying his either. While she had put her weapon away, she crossed her arms and was giving him the hardest stare her stature could muster.

“And why should we trust you while we’re on this mission?” Blake’s voice joined them, this time stemming from the corner of the roof. “How do we know you’re not just going to cut loose?”

He grinned, eyes staring at Blake. “If I were to cut loose, couldn’t I have done it by now? And you most certainly know how you ran into the both of us waiting with Yang.”

Her bow flicked, and he threw up his arms, returning to the rest of the team. “Why spend all this time trying to get to you when I could have just disappeared into the night?” But instead of letting it end there, he settled his gaze onto her and matched her amber eyes with his own. “Let me tell you something here. I want this person as much as Little Red does. Maybe even more. And as good as you think you might be as a team, this is a full-blown hunter we’re dealing with. You’re going to want me with you on this, and I think Ruby here would agree with me.”

All heads turned to their leader, looking towards her for a decision. But he himself looked at Weiss, eyes falling to the white knuckles, the tense shoulders, the thin lips. Whatever it was in her mind, she did not want him with the team at all. Maybe she didn’t even want to do what the rest of the team was thinking of doing.

But it wasn’t her decision. Team RWBY didn’t belong to her, and the leader made her choice. “We’re going after her.” Ruby’s hand settled on the side of her weapon, much like how she posed when he borrowed her partner and Yang when they visited Junior. She was getting ready for the task at hand.

Roman brought his cane up against his shoulder, “Does that settle it for you, kittycat?”

Blake said nothing, merely giving a huff and shooting a sideways glance, bow flicking again.

“Now that we’re all on the same page, it’s time to start planning and-”

Weiss’ voice cut into his. “Ruby, can I talk to you for a moment?”

He had never heard her use that tone before. There was terse and short, like when they first had their conversation after class and during the mission to the club. There was quiet and unsure when it was just her in his little interview in the dark and quiet.

But urgent and worried? This was new.

And with the way Ruby stared at her, this was new to her as well. “Um, yeah?” she scratched her head, hand leaving her weapon. “I guess? Though can it be fast? I mean, we’re-”

Without another word, Weiss’ hand reached out and began to drag Ruby through the roof exit and down a flight or two of stairs. This left him in the wake of the other half of the team and Neo. He could care less about the other two, though - he was more than capable enough to handle both of them, and throwing in Neo was simply cheating. Instead, his gaze lingered down the hallway just a little longer.

Wth a huff, he finally leaned himself against the side of the exit, much like how he was before the two arrived. Roman took a low breath, let his eyelids fall for a moment before casting it over the school, and slowly he let his aura creep away from him and down the stairs.

Blake he was able to control in the end. Yang would go anywhere to protect Ruby, and the leader herself was situated on pursuing Cinder. It was Weiss who was the truly unpredictable one among the lot.

The rest of the world fell dark and silent. No more gunshots. No more dying lights and flames across the campus. Just two voices at the bottom of the stairs.

\---

This was the worst night of Weiss’ life. It had to be. She had thought that bad cramps from her period would be the end of the world at times. Being skipped over for the position of leader was another issue she had eventually come to terms with.

But  _ this? _ Ruby actually agreeing to work with Roman of all people in an attempt to catch this Cinder person? And she was supposed to keep her safe at the end of it all?

This was a nightmare - one that she needed to convince Ruby to give up on.

“We can’t do this anymore.”

“I know you don’t want to do this but-”

“He’s a rat, Ruby,” her solid heels came to a solid stop at the bottom of the first flight as she stared the girl in the eye. “You know this.”

“Of _ course _ I know, Weiss,” her hands rose to her temple, stopping just short of dragging through her hair. “But we don’t have a choice. Torchwick is the closest we have to someone watching over us.”

“I  _ highly _ doubt his ability to supervise us, Ruby,” she stomped her way over. “It’s for our own good. We  _ can’t _ do this.”

“Look, I don’t like this any better than you do,” her voice picked up, though it was only by a bare minimum. “I’d take anyone else over Torchwick if we had the chance. But there’s no one else. No Ozpin, no Goodwitch, no Ironwood. Just us.” Her shoulders rose, elbows bending just a little upward in a shrug. “I mean, what else are we going to do, just run and hide?”

Weiss wasn’t one to tuck her tail and flee. Her pride and everything she stood for, everything she wanted to achieve would have loved to stand with Ruby. But if it meant obeying Ozpin’s orders, if it meant keeping her away from that absolute freak of nature, she would. But she had tried that line of reasoning, and she wasn’t buying it. It was time for a different approach.

“But we have her face. You know who Cinder is,” her voice picked up, “We don’t  _ need _ Torchwick to find this person at another time.” She looked to the side for a moment. “And aren’t you scared, Ruby? I mean, this- this whole thing… it’s just above what we’re capable of handling.”

She had expected more from her. But instead there was a brief silence.

“I  _ am _ scared, Weiss.“

When she turned her gaze back to her, ice blue eyes met ones of soft silver. The back of Ruby’s sleeve brushed over them, leaving a sheen of wetness smeared across her eyelids. “I’ve been scared ever since Neo bumped into Jaune and I realized that he could have died and…” there was a deep breath, a gulp that was louder than it should have been. “I mean,” her voice leveled out, “you know I lied to Goodwitch in that briefing, and it was because I was scared. That- That time on the train with the knife… I didn’t want to talk about it at that time. Maybe never again.”

This was the first time she had heard her say that, to openly proclaim that she was scared. She was able to receive an answer to one of the questions in her mind, but it wasn’t at a time where she was ready to respond. ”Ruby-”

“I’m tired of being scared. And I know that it terrifies me to be next to someone so dangerous right now.” Her hands clenched at her sides, forming small fists. “But Torchwick knows Cinder.” Her voice began to become firm again. “Whatever their relationship is or was, he knows her to some extent.”

Weiss felt her back straighten as the chill went down her spin.

“And because he knows her, he knows what she wants. He’s our best chance at bringing her in.”

_ “Ultimately, though, there is an underlying desire. There is something that they cannot legally have on their own, whether through their own inability or by circumstance, and they seek to claim it.” _

It was impossible that Roman had planned out this entire night from that far back. There was no way he would have known how tonight would have turned out. There was no way that what he said in class that day would somehow become applicable tonight of all nights.

But he could have planted it. Yang’s mention of being a monster played back from after the end of Mountain Glenn, and that Roman had called her that. And every other moment she spent with the man was suddenly haunting.

“Not to be pushy, but we’re done here. We have to move on.”

Ruby began to move towards the stairs again, and Weiss moved just in time to grasp her wrist. She tried not to squeeze too hard, to not pull her back, to not let her fear and everything else get the better of her. “We don’t have to do this, Ruby.”

“I know we don’t have to,” her voice was tired, yet firm. “But sitting back isn’t justice. It’s not right.”

Then her wrist moved out of her grip and with both hands she grasped hers. Ice blue met soft silver once again. “If it was any other moment, I’d…” she swallowed, “I’d feel like I’d be throwing my life away. You’re right in that we don’t have the training. We’re not ready yet. But if you’re here, then I feel like I can pull through somehow. We might not stop them, but at least we’ll come out alive.”

She was fighting hard to not blush. A stream of compliments wasn’t new from Ruby. From anyone, actually. But this- this was-

“You really are the specialist among us. That ice dome? Your weapon? You can do amazing things with dust that I didn’t even know was possible until I met you.” 

All she could do was duck her head. Knowing Ruby, this was as heartfelt as it was going to get. But what a terrible time for it to come out.

“Fine then,” she said. “No more questions. No more doubts.” One last and heavy breath before looking up, only the faintest of heat remaining on Weiss’ cheeks. “Let’s go. And after tonight… we can talk more. There’s… been a lot on my plate recently.”

“We can talk all night if you want, Weiss.”

\---

“The easiest way to get to our target is to think like a rat. Hide and avoid confrontation until it’s the right time to come out.”

That was what Roman said once they began their trek into the night. With the destruction and distracted forces, it was easy for them to stay hidden. Everyone was too busy dealing with the Grimm and White Fang to try and spot a stealthy group hiding in the shadows.

Weiss didn’t think she was loud enough for him to overhear their conversation, but so be it. Coincidence or not, a rat was fitting for one such as him. A dangerous rat, she reminded herself.

But all their hiding couldn’t stop a nose and their little party was soon short a member.

”Blake!”

It was a statement as much as it was a yell, one that froze the girl in her tracks. She turned to face the voice from across the plaza, to turn to a man that Weiss recognized all to well. His dark red hair, the white mask, the dark suit, and a long and red katana.

Adam Taurus was not a man to be trifled with. And yet Blake stood firm against his gaze. None dared to move except Roman, who adjusted his hat and scarf, the end of his cigar growing hot again. Not Team RWBY, not even him and the small White Fang entourage with him.

“You got this, kittycat?”

She didn’t turn to face Roman, but everyone else did. Not a hair moved on her face, and her bow remained still. Adam sheathed his blade, and without another word, she walked towards him.

“Blake?” Ruby cautiously said. As a team they were complete, but to be missing one member suddenly put her at unease.

“It’s fine. He just wants to talk.”

“Are you sure about this?” Weiss cautiously stepped forward, hand gripping Myrtenaster. “We can stay with you. We-”

“Really, Weiss, I appreciate it,” her amber eyes turned to look over her shoulder. “But you of all people shouldn’t stay here. Go. And besides, if he didn’t want to he’d be attacking us already.”

She had a point, and Weiss hated it. Even Yang didn’t want to leave her partner behind in spite of their altercation. But none of them could afford to stay here. Without another word, the group moved on, leaving Blake in the clutches of the White Fang.

Then there was more running and hiding. She felt her body starting to ache. First the descent down from the arena, then searching across campus for Cinder while keeping an eye on Roman and Neo, doing her best to keep them in sight and away from Ruby. She hadn’t forgotten how scared Ozpin was of the strange girl - if she could even be called that.

But he was clearly making a line for something, something that the rest of the team was unaware of. Every moment or other he would consult Neo and she would do something on her scroll and point in a direction and they would set off. And finally, after a third time, she pointed at the top of a building.

“Get ready girls. It’s time to party.”

This was it. She ran a few more checks on her weapon and then they were climbing stairs again. Within minutes they were on the roof, Ruby shoving open the door with her tiny frame with all her might, enough to flng it wide open and slam against the wall. No time to plan. No time to really know if they were there.

But they were. For a moment, everyone was stunned.

“Cinder!” the words bellowed from Ruby lungs. With a quick leveling of Crescent Rose, she slammed the tip into the roof, taking a haphazard shot. But in a flash, the woman’s hand flew out to block the bullet’s path, swatting it to the side.

Weiss had met them before on an acquaintance level. Emerald and her mint green hair, who had dashed in front of Cinder with her weapons pointed at them. Mercury Black, who somehow was walking on two legs despite what the media had proclaimed.

If only Blake were here. If only everyone on Remnant was here. But Yang was here, and it was beginning to get hot. One glance at her and it was clear that she was livid, eyes turning red. With a mighty stretch, her arm reeled back before snapping forward, a small shot screaming forward and landing just short of Mercury’s feet. “Didn’t you say something about a next time?”

Weiss could see his grin from here, and he turned to Cinder. With a small wave of her hand, she dismissed him. “Make it fast.”

He turned to look at Yang again before slowly walking to the edge of the roof and vaulting over. Yang followed suit, and suddenly it was just Ruby and Weiss amongst a mess of criminals. She spared a look towards her partner, taking in her sharp gaze, her heavy breath, her white knuckles. Any illusion of safety was shattered.

“I knew something was wrong when Neo wasn’t in her cell,” Cinder’s voice finally came out, cracked like glass with anger. “I didn’t think I’d see you again, Roman.”

Roman scoffed, the cigar burning bright again. “After turning me in like that?” he walked forward a little, hand on the curve of his cane. “You must think I’m an amateur.”

“Hmph. You still are, but it looks like you might have proven your worth.” Cinder reached out to Roman, empty hand extended to him. “You’ve made it this far. Why throw it all away by fighting me? You could join us again.”

Roman took his cigar out of his mouth, the smoldering orange just a few puffs short of the red tape on it. “You know, Cinder, the way I see it, you have things going the other way around.” There was a small shift in his weapon, a latch opening. With a flick of his hand, he perfectly flipped the cigar into the space in the cane and it slid closed. “You might be strong. You might be influential. But you’re not the biggest fish in the tank.” He leveled his cane at her.

“I am.”

Weiss had seen him do this trick before. Back when they visited Junior’s club, it had produced a thin veil of smoke, meant to intimidate the bouncers at the front. But this time, it was different. Instead of billowing clouds emanating from the tip, a single shot of hellfire screamed forth, something that could only emanate from a pure red dust crystal. How he had acquired the resources to do this only briefly crossed Weiss’ mind as a blast shook the rooftop. He had to have hidden it somewhere. A pure red crystal of that quality was in very limited supply, something that only the military could afford large quantities of on a regular basis.

And then smoke. Thick dark smoke that she couldn’t quite see through, not during the night. “Ruby!” she hacked, trying to keep the ash from her eyes. This was the worst thing possible. If Roman turned on them, if Cinder and her grouped attacked them first, they were dead. There was no other outcome.

But soon it all began to settle. Cinder, Roman, and Neo were gone, doing who knows what somewhere else. But soon she wished this wasn’t the case. She wished that the smoke was still there. She wished that she had fought harder against Ruby, keeping her in the stairwell to convince her that this was a terrible idea.

In front of her was Ruby, a blade sticking into her gut. Weiss’ eyes followed the sharp edge to the handle, to the tan fingers that were holding it. Then up the arms and into Emerald’s eyes.

The opportunity for anything else was gone forever, and all she saw was red.

\---

Cinder had tried to run when the smoke from the initial blast enshrouded her. But somehow, all the running she did only took her to another roof of the campus, far away from Mercury and Emerald. It was just her and Roman, and he was proving more and more to be a nuisance as the night went on. He was fast, but was unwilling to commit to any opening she had left. To be fair, he had seen some of her powers first hand and a level of fear was at play. But he continued to deftly weave around her strikes. Burst of flame scorched only air, and her own weaponry was constantly blocked by his cane.

It was clear that he was toying with her, but to what end? It could not have been to create an opening for Neo, as she had taken a seat atop the ledge. But there was a pending unease as the fight went on. Something that she couldn’t shake off.

And then she saw it. It was just as she thought she was getting the upper hand, landing a swift kick to Roman’s stomach and sending him rolling along the ground. But as he stood up, she noticed that there was a fire in the distance - perhaps the rooftop that they first met on tonight. For a moment, it was bright and burning.

Then the light from the fire vanished without a trace. She could still see the faint outline of the building from other light sources, but no more flickering flames. No more orange glow. He must have known that she saw it too, because his smile grew wider. With a calm motion, he flicked out his lighter, burning the end of another cigar before clicking it shut.

As he took a puff, another light in the distance went out. There were no more gunshots, either. No more screams of Grimm. No more yells of voices. Just Roman.

Her lips parted and her voice was slow. “You’re like Emerald.”

Roman didn’t speak at first, instead only chuckling as another source of light - a lamp post - vanished. “With Emerald, you can still trust your basic senses when she pulled her tricks on you. You can still see. You can still hear.  _ This _ is worse.”

The world was slowly getting dark. "Blind me all you want, Roman.” She could still sense his aura. If he was going to rob her of her sight and hearing, she could still rely on this. “I know where you are."

“Do you, now?” Soon, all that was left was the embers of his cigar, and even that was short-lived. She was shrouded in darkness. But she could feel him. She could see his orange aura slowly walking towards her from the left. With a wide swing of her arm, a pillar of fire burst out from the ground, consuming the orange cloud.

But a blow came to the back of her head from her right.

That was impossible, though. How could he have separated his aura from himself?

"Can you really trust your senses, Cinder?” his voice was seemingly everywhere and nowhere.

She set her hands on fire, the flames licking away and giving her a small burst of light. "I'll find you and kill you."

Yet even that was at his mercy. With a tap something, perhaps his cane, even those were gone. "No you won’t."

_ Bang _ .

There was heat and force behind her. Something sent her flying, body rolling and flopping on the ground. Any level of orientation she had was now gone. She didn’t know where the edge of the building was. She didn’t know where  _ she _ was.

“You know, Cinder, when you stare into the abyss, they say it stares back. We become what we see."

She couldn’t trust the sound of his voice. Her vision was gone, and any level of sensing his aura could be easily misguided.

There was a sharp pain at her side and she stumbled, desperately trying to right herself.

"But not this abyss. Oh no. Not...  _ my _ abyss.”

Her heart was beating madly, her breath unsteady.

"When you stare into my abyss, guess which monster stares back?"


	22. The Beasts That Survived

There was another flash of metal, a splash of blood falling upon the cracked rooftop. It was a strike aimed at her neck, digging through its front and cutting into the windpipe. Finally she screamed.

" _RUBY!_ "

Her hand rose to her neck, desperately trying to grasp at the opening, to staunch the crimson flow. Her voice, however, was nothing but gurgled breaths. With wounds such as these, there was nearly no chance at recovery, not even a false hope to cling to. Ruby's body fell over onto its side, her wide silver eyes falling onto her own. Her lips wordlessly formed shapes in vain attempts to call out to Weiss. But in the end, her body fell still.

Her mind told her that she should have been doing something. Mourning. Crying. Grieving. Her shoulders shook, her fingers flexed. They clenched around the hilt of Myrtenaster, the slack rapier rising to attention in her left hand. In front of her was Emerald, and that was all that mattered now.

She was the specialist of the team. Her role was to facilitate the capture or destruction of the enemy. She could use glyphs to stop enemy movement and alter her own. And she could use dust like she was breathing. She just had to control and apply herself. Breath deep. Spin the dust chamber, set it on ice. Summon a glyph and prepare for the assault.

Don't think about the body on the floor.

Try not to think about it.

But her next breaths were rough. Everything in her body trembled and shook. And when she looked at the base of her weapon, the chamber had set itself to red. Before she knew it, a glyph had formed at the base of her feet.

Emerald wouldn't stand a chance. With a push from her legs, Weiss was flying towards her, defying gravity as their weapons met. But it was a glancing blow at best. She felt the weight of her strike carry her past as she let Myrtenaster slide right off the edges and sidestepped the rest of it. With a quick roll, she was back on her feet and making another approach at her.

This time, she pushed herself to recall her training. Had her opponent been faster, she could have been sporting a gash on the side of her stomach from overextending herself. Her weapon was built for thrusts and stabs, with a sharp and reinforced point that could break through the toughest hides and slip through the tiniest cracks in armor. And if she kept her balance, aimed to strike with the tip and nothing more, she could keep herself out of Emerald's range.

But composure did nothing for her. At her feet was Ruby's body, and in this moment, nothing was more important than that. She became impatient, no longer attempting calculated stabs and feints. Her entire arm and body was in motion, taking wild chances at slashing. There was no control.

Only a desire to hurt, to hurt the one in front of her as much as she was hurting right now. With a click of a button, Myrtenaster began to glow a low red, the red dust channeling into the blade as she delivered a swipe at her right hand. And though Emerald blocked it and once again put more distance between the two of them, the concentrated heat must have surprised her as she recoiled back with a hiss, gingerly shaking her arm.

"You were just using us!" Emerald's mouth moved, but Weiss registered none of it. "The things you said, all empty. And we believed you. We believed everything about you, especially Ruby!"

And she was gone now. She ran forward, looking to see how her opponent moved. Her arms swung wide, her two blades trailing through the air as if finally remembering that she was in a fight, her green hair following through with the wide motions. But to support that level of movement, her feet had to adjust to the weight of her body. And that worked for Weiss. It was enough of a strategy for her to implement, and simple enough that she could focus on just that.

A quick strike here, a feint to force her to backpedal, anything that might cause her to try and reorient herself. Once the opening came, she would take her down. But Emerald was fast. Just as much as she had to mind her steps, so did Weiss have to adjust to her unusual fighting style. She incorporated wide swings in her movement, as if the guns were too heavy for her.

And soon the moment came. She was about to step down, but Weiss aimed Myrtenaster to where it would have gone and it forced her to nearly fall over. It was only a matter of kicking out her other foot and she was down on the ground.

Then came disarming her. As luck would have it, one end of her weapon clattered to the floor, free from Emerald's grip. Then the tip of Weiss' shoe collided with her other wrist, forcing the other weapon free. And with another step, she pinned it down.

The goal was to just capture her. They needed Emerald alive for the purpose of the investigation. But before she knew it, she drove the blade of Myrtenaster towards flesh. Her hand rose to catch and redirect to the side for it to just barely scrape her aura. It was like the texture of driving a blade into something that was only just beginning to freeze through.

"Weiss! Stop, please- Weiss!"

But for a brief moment, she felt the tip of the blade scratch through the very side of her stomach. Aura protected and healed, but even a direct blow could get through sometimes. And with a sharp enough point and strong enough force, it would yield. She wouldn't miss again. She pulled her arm back, aiming to strike true.

There was the scream of a voice.

Two, in fact, one from behind her that didn't truly register, one that was more of a grunt of pain than a real scream. The other came from in front of her – eerily familiar, echoing to the recent past. Images of the train returned, to how she watched from afar as that White Fang member leaped out and struck a blow. Then it came to their talk in the hallway, to how Ruby gingerly covered the area with her hand.

Her eyes immediately snapped up, truly looking at her opponent for the first time, and in front of her lay Ruby. Her right sleeve was scorched, Crescent Rose extended but the blade still hidden away. At the very edge of her corset was a flash of pale skin, cut through just enough for blood to pool and begin dripping off her body.

Ice blue eyes rose to meet soft silver.

"... Ruby?" Weiss' voice barely mustered into a whisper. The girl shaking on the ground, trembling with her arms drawn protectively against herself.

She had been tricked, and it nearly cost her. That meant that the real Emerald was-

She pulled her weapon back and stepped away from Ruby. Her eyes scanned to her sides, just in time to catch another person in red swiping away at Emerald, a small feather in her hair. She found that she was unable to put a name on the face, but she felt that she should have recognized her. And after some more thought, it came to her. She was from that night at Junior's club, with a sister in white.

Weiss didn't know why she was here, why she was fighting her opponent. But she knew an opportunity when she saw one. With one last glance, she turned to face Ruby. The girl didn't move, and upon her was the face of fear. It was one that Weiss caused and and she was ashamed of it.

"Hide somewhere safe, Ruby. Please." The girl didn't move, silver eyes frozen in place, hand covering the wound at her side. She wanted to stay, to say that she was sorry. To say that she believed Yang wholeheartedly now that she saw something that was impossible. To beg for her forgiveness. With how things turned out tonight, everything was on the verge of collapse, yet she still wanted to say something. But she could not afford to.

And did she trust herself to even say the right things? After all this, how could she even dare to bring up anything about her feelings, about what she really thought about Ruby?

She grit her teeth and shook her head. The chance she had in front of her was slipping away and she needed to act – the conversation would have to wait for a moment longer. She spun the chamber of Myrtenaster to ice dust and let a glyph form at her feet. With a mighty slam, the tip of Myrtenaster pierced the ground, and spikes of ice traveled forth in a jagged line. The other person had the mind to move away and put distance between her and Emerald, who turned around just in time to see the ice creeping up the sides of her feet and up to her waist.

Her rage should have ended here. Ruby was alive. Scared and hurt, but alive. Emerald was captured with the assistance of the girl from the club. As short as the moment was, she lived through it and succeeded.

Yet her wrist and shoulders were tense. Weiss' body shook as she walked, and her gaze fell hard on the captive in front of her. She must have felt it as well, because she tried to hack away at the ice with her weapon, anything to try and free herself. With the other she tried to take a shot at Weiss, but a large white glyph protected her approach, the bullets falling uselessly to the floor.

When she was in striking distance, out of desperation she swiped at Weiss, but with a quick strike at her hand, Emerald dropped one side of her weapon. With another aimed blow the the pommel of Myrtenaster fell upon the other wrist, fully disarming her.

But as she turned her face up to look at her, she was staring into Ruby's face once more.

"Please Weiss, let me go!" The voice was pitch perfect, the look of terror matching the look she saw mere moments ago.

But this wasn't real. The real Ruby was behind her. She had almost gotten her killed, and taken away everything. She was one of the people responsible for all of the damage that happened this night. She might not have orchestrated it, but she let it come to fruition, facilitating it to this point. And to use her face against her a second time-

Cold rage flowed from her lips.

" _How dare you show me that face._ "

With a final stretch back, Myrtenaster plunged deep into Ruby's chest. There was a surprised grunt, her pale face stretched in shock. For a moment, she feared that it really was her partner here. But just as she reminded herself that Ruby was behind her, the image began to fade away. Dark hair was replaced with green. The black faux corset gave way to dark skin, silver eyes became red, and her body slumped over.

She became aware of her own breathing. Her body was shaking. Her hand was starting to be coated in red, the blood squelching and bubbling around her sword. And as she pulled her weapon away, the liquid spilled onto her dress.

Emerald was dead, and a rush thoughts and emotions hit her. She was already captured and disarmed. She couldn't fight back and wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She should have let the authorities handle this. She was meant to catch criminals, not necessarily kill them.

But she deserved it – who knows how many were hurt or dead tonight because of her? How many did she hurt in the past? The power she held was terrible, it couldn't be allowed to exist, not if it was going to be on the wrong side.

And she had nearly gotten Ruby killed by her own hand, saved only by sheer luck.

" _It's okay, it's all pretend anyway! I mean, it's not like any of us are gonna actually do bad stuff, right?_ "

She grit her teeth as her hand tightened around her weapon.

" _You know, Miss Weiss, you and I aren't so different._ "

When the course started, she didn't think it would end with killing another classmate. But Emerald was powerful. She couldn't be allowed to live and be in league with the... thing that Neo was. It was the right choice.

A deep breath.

It was the right choice, Weiss reminded herself, and forcibly tried to keep herself away from thinking about Torchwick. Given the circumstances, she would have done the same thing. Looking down at her weapon, she gave it a flick towards the ground, sending as much of the sanguine liquid as she could to the rooftop.

A quick scan of her surroundings told her that it was just the two of them again. The girl from the nightclub had apparently moved on, perhaps content with leaving the job as is. She gave Myrtenaster one more swing before turning towards Ruby.

The girl had picked herself up, shakily aiming Crescent Rose's muzzle at her and Weiss froze before tentatively taking a step. She began to speak, but as much as she tried, nothing would form info a solid sentence. For in this very moment, Weiss was no better than the man at the arena. But a painful and familiar sound echoed inside her mind, that same scream that Ruby let out on the train and here on the rooftop.

She looked at the still bloody-Myrtenaster in her hands. and cast it away. It was negligent, potentially damaging to the weapon, but it was of no value to her right now, worthless if it cut the one she meant to protect. Scratches and dents she could repair. Even rebuilding Myrtenaster was simple. But for Ruby she could only hope, and she looked back up at her.

Ice blue met soft silver, and the gaze they held was long, longer than they had ever shared. In a slow descent Ruby's weapon fell from her hands, clattering harmlessly to the floor. Her body followed shortly after, collapsing to her knees and a sob most painful crawled out of her throat.

Weiss could not move any faster to hold her. Her knees skidded to the floor, and her arms folded around the girl, holding her as tight as she could. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry-"

"I-I know."

"I didn't-" a sniff. Pricks of heat came to her eyes and as easy as it was to wipe them away, that meant letting go of Ruby, something she couldn't bring herself to do. "I didn't know."

"It-" she sobbed, "It's just- I saw that knife and-" her small hands reached up and grasped her shoulders from behind her back, pulling her in as tightly as she could. "It was that night again."

It hurt to be compared to that figure, even more than when she realized just how similar she and Torchwick really were. It hurt to even hear it, and finally she let her neck fail her and her head fell to rest on Ruby's shoulder. "I would never hurt you. I could never willingly hurt you," a low sob rang out. "Not like this, not on my own, never."

"I know, I know. You..." Ruby gulped. "You care for me too much to do that," her hands bunched up the cloth of her stained bolero, bringing Weiss' body closer to her. "But... I wanted- I was going to shoot," she sniffed, "But I can't. I can't hurt you, Weiss. I just can't."

It was too ambiguous to say anything. It could have been love, it could have been just friendship. But it was enough to shock her back into this hellish night. The whole reason why she hadn't said anything prior was because there was just too much at risk, too much that could still happen. And the night was not yet over. She took several deep breaths, let a few more tears run its course into Ruby's cloak, feeling their frames rack against each other. And with finality, she swallowed and pushed her away.

"Can," she gulped, "Can you walk?"

"Weiss?"

"Ruby," she tried to be as soft as she could with her voice, "can you get up and walk?"

"I... I don't-"

But this was taking too long, and Ozpin's order came back to her. "You need to be somewhere safe." She rose to her knees, forcing Ruby to come up as well. And with a deft motion, her arms slipped down and up beneath her legs before she pushed herself to her full height.

"W-Weiss?" Ruby's arms moved to tighten around her body, trying to balance the shifting weight. But this let her kneel down and pick up Crescent Rose before heading towards the stairwell.

"We're exposed. We can't be out there." Granted, the stairwell wasn't much better, but it would at least get them out of sight. And while she would have wanted to try and get Myrtenaster in her hands as well, it was physically impossible and also unwise to bring that pointed blade anywhere near Ruby for the rest of the night. She carefully walked down the first flight of stairs, finally setting her down into a corner.

Her arms were still around her neck when Weiss tried to pull away and she frowned. "Ruby-"

"P-Please don't go after Roman," she whispered. "Not like this. Not alone."

How things had changed in so little time. Only a few hours ago she was the one begging Ruby not to do anything drastic. "Is it that obvious?"

Her hands shook every so slightly upon her shoulders. "Weiss, please, just stay here. Stay with me."

She did. That was what she had wanted for some time – to just have a moment together with her and Ruby. "I'm not going after him, I just-" Weiss huffed. "It's obvious that he used us, and he's going to get away tonight." Her voice slowed down, lips pursing thin. "But I have questions for him, and he's the type to answer."

"What... What do you want to ask him?"

"...If he and I really are the same."

"No." Ruby was no longer content with just holding Weiss and pulled her towards her frame. " _No_. Weiss, you two are  _not_  the same."

"We've-" her partner was crying again, "Ruby, we've done bad things."

"It was for a good reason." Wet heat fell onto her clothes and shoulder again. "People have died because of us, but if we didn't do it, then there would be nothing. You wouldn't have me, and I wouldn't have you."

And with that utterance, Weiss' body froze as everything clicked.

" _And so when a man has nothing, as empty and hungry as the void itself, and he looks around and sees everyone else with something, so to does he eventually desire to fill his own abyss._ "

Torchwick was born into a world where the only possessions he had were the clothes on his back. An orphan in a shelter.

" _When you… When you killed and stole, when you looted those dust shops, what did you desire then?_ "

" _Everything._ "

Maybe he had a stint where he tried to be good, where he could become a huntsman. But then he had to leave a school with nothing, no more free housing or boarding, to once again be empty-handed. And to have nothing a second time and see others around him with material wealth, there was the impossible desire to have, to covet insatiably.

Maybe he thought that if he didn't do it, the killing and stealing and taking, there'd still be nothing for him today.

Maybe he felt that he wasn't even going to make it that far.

And tonight, if his goal truly was to acquire everything he could get his hands on, then she wouldn't be surprised if he was going to kill Cinder instead of capture her. She and the White Fang stole Vale from him, after all.

"Weiss?"

She shook her head, blinking, and then blinking a second time. "I'm sorry Ruby, I have to go."

"Weiss, wait-"

She knew her partner would protest, but this was important - for herself and for the future. Now that she believed that she understood Torchwick just a little more, this meant that she had something against him. Weiss wouldn't be able to stop him today, but she could confirm her hunch and use it against him on another day.

She unwillingly detached Ruby's hands from her shoulders and placed Crescent Rose in them.

"Weiss, no, you can't, you-"

"You have to stay here, Ruby. It's not safe." Neo was still around, after all. There was no way in hell she would let her come along. "I'm not going to fight him, and he can't have gotten too far. It's just some questions that I need answered. I'll be fine."

Ruby dropped her weapon, moving to loop her arms around Weiss again, "But-"

"Here, show me your scroll, and look at the time." As she did as she was told, "If I'm not back in thirty minutes, I want you to find me and drag me back from whatever hell I've come across. Give me those thirty minutes and I'll run with you forever until this night is long past us. Is that a deal?"

Her hands trembled, eyes locking at the time, and then back at hers and nodded.

As brave and possibly even necessary as it was, though, a part of her knew it was dangerous. She might not have intended to fight, but the risk of presenting herself as a target was still there. Yet the reward was worth it. And if she was right, he wouldn't be interested in fighting her. Once Cinder was out of the way, his next goal would be to flee. The chance to be prepared and recapture Torchwick in the future was too good to be true. No more coffins.

Ice blue eyes met soft silver. For a long moment they stared. If things went wrong, this could have been the last time she saw them. Her hand trailed to Ruby's cheek before leaning in, and she found her lips to be just as soft.

But there was no time to linger. She wanted to settle accounts, and now she had done so. No time to think if it was a bad decision. No time to see if Ruby was repulsed or cared in that way. No time to even think if it the sensation felt right to her or if it seemed any different than between her and Neptune. She quickly moved up the stairs, not risking the chance for one last look before disappearing into the night again.

It would just have to wait.

* * *

Roman knew she was here with the way Neo was pacing, watching him as he continued to play with Cinder's feeble attempts at survival. She never did that unless she was angry, very angry. And for her mood to suddenly switch from playful to foul meant that her own personal hope of running into Ruby was ruined.

Someone else had come to spy on his fun, and he had a feeling he knew who it was. Perhaps she followed the Malachite girls after they finished their job. Or maybe she saw the blasts and explosions on the rooftop of the building and made her way over. But it was time to end his little feud with Cinder. That's what he was here for, after all.

With one last look of disgust, he leveled Melodic Cudgel at her, who was barely any more than a curled up body on the ground. And with his semblance still active, she wouldn't even realize that she would be dead, her sound and vision robbed from her.

_Bang_

The round flew out and collided with the body, setting her aflame. And while there was a moment of movement, nothing came afterward. This was the end of Cinder Fall, something he had wanted for some time.

Taking a cigar out, he brought the still-hot tip of his cane against the end and took a puff. "You can come out now, Miss Weiss. Neo knows you're there."

Nothing moved at first. Even Neo stopped her pacing. But amidst the dying sounds of the battlefield around them, a pair of boots stepped out from the side of the stairwell. As soon as she revealed herself, though, Neo began to stomp towards her, umbrella drawn to her side. With a rough hand, she grabbed Weiss by the scruff of her bolero.

"Where."

"Unhand me."

"Where. Is. She."

" _Neo_ ," he growled. Her hand still held onto Weiss, but in a moment she let go, stomping back towards where he was and stepping behind him. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. When she moved out from behind his shadow, her arms were crossed but any direct malice was replaced with a brooding scowl.

Satisfied with her placidness, his gaze fell back to Weiss. The first thing he noticed was that her eyes were not upon him but rather on the burning body to his side. Yet her reaction from seeing Cinder's corpse was not one of surprise but of contemplation. Her lips drew themselves into a narrow line and her eyes went back to him.

The second thing he noticed was the blood on her white clothes and he smiled. For all intents and purposes, between her and the twin's efforts Emerald was probably dead. "You know, Miss Weiss, a...  _little red_  looks good on you, don't you think?"

She blinked and slowly spoke, contemplative and cautious while dodging his question. Whether she understood his little joke was left unsaid. "I was under the impression that you were here to assist with this person's capture. Killing the target wasn't a part of your bargain."

"Ah, yes," he took a few steps towards the corpse. "Ozpin's little deal. It was certainly a good one while it lasted, but I imagine that I've worn out my welcome by now." Another drag from his cigar. "It's hardly what I wanted in the end, though."

"It was a good deal," she said. Her hands balled into fists. "Not many criminals are offered this type of opportunity." Her lips waved and opened, letting out a breath. She was trying to pick the best words to say, that she was on to something and didn't want to reveal it. "Why didn't you want it?"

He clicked his tongue and smiled. "I believe I answered that for you already. Don't tell me you already forgot."

"Perhaps I was just hoping for something else," she cleverly avoided giving away an answer. However, his head tilted forward just a tiny bit. Weiss was building up to something, yet the reason eluded him. She played the part of the confused student, attempting to gather information about his current stance. Then she tried to goad him into stating why he did what he did. And fighting him was also out of the picture – she was outnumbered, and if her goal was to fight she would have either lashed out with a surprise attack already or retreated the moment he called out to her.

He took the bait and asked, his single green eye falling upon her. "Really, Miss Weiss, what are you here for?"

Here her body stretched to its full height. As she looked him in the eye, he was reminded of the aura of confidence that she emanated when they visited Junior's club. "I'm not here to chase after you," she licked her lips. "I just have a question I need to ask. After tonight, do you think you and I are still the same? That we're not so different from the other?"

So that was it. She may have been attempting to probe for information, but she was also remembering their conversation from back in the classroom. Another puff of smoke came from Roman's lips. "I would think so, yes."

"... I believe otherwise. Your methods are self-serving and meant to benefit you first and others second. But I wish to put others before me. And regardless of my level of success, that makes me different from you."

"Maybe so, Miss Weiss, but it is evident that we both kill for what we want."

Her body froze at his answer. And when he gave the order for Neo to move out, as she mentioned she didn't give chase. Her gaze remained settled on the corpse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's that time where I decide it's time to write again. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, as a lot of things that I've been building up towards have begun to fall into place. I finally get to see the planning and effort I put into the story across these two years coming out, and it's great. I was able to achieve a lot of my goals while writing and I'm happy at where I've ended up at. It's not absolutely perfect, and some things just didn't fit in as I would have hoped, but I'm pleased with what I have.
> 
> As for this chapter, this was originally going to feature Blake and Yang's confrontations. However, as I tried to write it out, it just wasn't fitting the tone of the story. So they were cut in the end and it stuck with Weiss. I intend to cover a bit of what went on, though, so we won't miss it entirely. I'm going to leave it here though - don't wanna go too much into it for now.
> 
> Whew! Almost finished. Hopefully I'll see you all soon!
> 
> Beta'd by ImSoAwesome


	23. Epilogue

When Weiss finally found it in herself to move again, someone had been calling out to her. A name didn't immediately enter her head, but as she turned around she saw why. Ren was the one that located her, who was quiet compared to the rest of the members of RWBY and JNPR. The remaining members of his team showed up shortly afterward, quick to form a protective circle around her.

It was a change from the more casual times she had been around them, and she knew their purpose before even asking. "Did Ruby send you to find me?"

"Yeah, about ten minutes ago," Jaune spoke up, casting a wary eye to the sky and the horizon. His shield had some scratches on it, but was otherwise fully functional. It looks like they had some close calls after they split apart. "She sounded… She sounded pretty worried."

She didn't want to say it, but it was rightfully so. The way she had run off was like she had expected it to be the end of her. Perhaps she should be surprised that Ruby had held on for so that long. "Is she alright?"

"She's with the rest of Team RWBY," Pyrrha spoke up, pointedly turning away from the smoldering body, "We got a message not too long ago from the staff for all student teams to report to the CCT Tower. They said something about reduced enemy presence and that now was the safest to move. We were about to head there ourselves until Ruby reached out to us to find you."

Taking out her own scroll, she saw that the thirty minutes had yet to fully pass. She had a little more than ten left, and she hoped that the girl had remained safe and hidden. "And Blake and Yang?"

"She said they're with her, but they need some help getting to the tower," the redhead pursed her lips. "And she said something about staying put until you showed up again."

Thankfully JNPR didn't ask, and Weiss quickly typed out a small message to Ruby. "Let's get going then. I'll lead the way," putting her scroll into her skirt, she let herself be escorted down the rooftop and through the campus. The White Fang presence seemed to have all but disappeared, something Weiss was grateful for, and except for a single Ursa that was easily dispatched everything was silent. It wasn't long before they reached the building.

Navigating through the hallways and to the stairwell, she found herself dreading the climb. Not only were the muscles in her body beginning to protest, but now that the adrenaline had faded, all that was left was her own active mind. But she had to remind herself that the night was not over. Now was not the time to worry about what Ruby might do or say with regards to the kiss.

Pushing forward, she rounded the corner to see Yang sitting with her back against the wall, legs splayed out in front of her with her hands resting at her sides. There was some scrapes and cuts as well as many bruises on her forearm and one on her stomach. And at the side of her was a mangled gauntlet, crushed but perhaps reparable. The nastiest of her wounds, however, was a dark purple cloud nestled around the front of her neck.

And to the left of her was Mercury without the legs, looking equally defeated and his pants torn at the knees and below. What was unusual of him though was that he had blood on more places than Yang did, clothes cut at angles that she couldn't have done. For a moment she wondered if they were from Blake, but she quickly recalled her own confrontation with Emerald and that seemed unlikely. The wounds didn't seem to match Gambol Shroud's design anyway. While there were slashes, there were also a few pinpoint stabs and tears in his clothing. His face turned to hers for a moment, then went away without saying a word.

But her eyes widened and she stopped when she saw all the wires and metal at the end of it instead of human viscera. Remembering what was broadcast, Weiss knew that his leg had been 'broken', but they could not have been replaced so quickly. "Yang?" Weiss called out, unsure of her own voice, "Are you alright?"

Her blonde hair ruffled and she looked up from her spot. "Oh," a heavy breath, "hey Weiss." Her violet eyes wandered to the dried bloodstain on her white clothes, but didn't comment on it. "I'm good, just tired," her gaze then wandered to boy at her side. "Boy gave me a hell of a run for my money."

With the way Yang turned out, Weiss doubted that it was just a run for her money, but she said nothing more. Turning to look at the next flight of stairs was Blake. She shot a look at her for a moment, but turned away and said nothing. At first something was out of place, but when her ear flicked, she realized that her bow was not in its usual spot on her head. And upon closer inspection, there was also blood on the front of her clothes. They were in a mostly neat and orderly line, as if someone had flicked it onto her from an object. But aside from that, she physically looked fine.

A patter of footsteps, however, took her attention to the top of the stairs, where Ruby was looking down at her. At first, nothing had happened, only a meeting of eyes. But she quickly descended the stairs before throwing her arms around her shoulders.

There was no pressing of lips to greet her with, and Weiss' mind raced. Unlike herself, she had time to process the kiss they shared, and her choice of greeting felt planned and thought out. She hadn't come across as someone who would fall in love with a girl after all, let alone her. But there was a possible multitude of reasons why she might not have given her one right now, and she pushed the thoughts away as her own hands return the hug. "Sorry if I worried you."

Maybe she just wanted to be hopeful tonight, Weiss reasoned to herself. After all that had happened, it would be a nice escape to have, however fleeting it might be.

"We… We can talk later. It's what you wanted, after all." When Ruby began to pull away, she reluctantly let go. "Now that we're all here, we need get moving." Her fists balled up at her sides, and she determinedly looked at everyone in the eye. But whatever she might have wanted to say fell to the wayside and her hands relaxed. Finally, she turned to Yang.

"Do you think you can walk?"

With a strain on her face, she pulled herself onto her knees. With a wince she stood up, "Just gotta put one foot in front of the other, right?" Her step, however, was shaky and Ruby dashed towards her side, hastily righting her up. She tried to smile, but even that was strained.

"Here," Weiss' blade slowly came up from her side, pausing momentarily when Ruby blinked and froze for a second. But in time a horizontal glyph materialized, oblong in shape. "Put her on this."

Ruby was quick to walk her over, and soon she was laying down on the glyph. "Try not to fall asleep, now."

"I know. But get Mercury," Yang said in a low groan. "I need him. And those legs of his in the corner."

Weiss gave a deep, low breath, and another platform appeared. "Put him on this one, then." At first no one moved, but in the end Blake was the one to grab him and the gear. When her arms went around his body, he seemed compliant, but uttered no words as she set his back down on it. Putting Myrtenaster away, she was satisfied that the glyphs remained in place, but keeping them up for an extended period of time was going to be strenuous.

Regardless, it was time to get moving. "Blake, take lead and scout for safe spots. I'll keep watch from behind. And Jaune," She blinked and looked back at him. "Team RWBY… we've had a long night. We all have. And I hate to lump this onto you because I dragged JNPR into this mess tonight, but please keep them safe."

Nothing else was said. Jaune merely nodded and got to work. Blake, Ruby, and Weiss set their scroll frequencies to the same wavelength and started the trek back to the tower. It was slower than anyone would have liked, but now that they weren't at full capacity anymore no precaution was too lengthy. And thankfully there were no White Fang operatives on their path. They all seemed to have vacated, and remembering how Blake had left the group earlier, Weiss was sure that she was responsible in some way for their lack of presence.

In time, though, the base of the building came into sight, surrounded by Paladins, soldiers, and hunters in a makeshift perimeter. A collective exhale, a breath they didn't know the were holding, came from both teams once a group of soldiers came out and escorted them. When a group of medics came over and put Yang and Mercury into a real stretcher, Weiss wanted to fall to her knees in exhaustion. But the night was far from over. They still needed to handle any Grimm that came their way, deal with Ozpin and his two partners, and-

_How dare you show me that face?_

The world started to spin and her hands caught herself before she fell onto the ground. She closed her eyes. Deep breaths. In, out. A set of hands came down to her left shoulder, small and gentle. Another breath, and she looked over to see Ruby crouched by her side.

She gently spoke, "Come on, let's get you somewhere to rest." Her hands drifted down her arm and lifted it up over her shoulder, just like how she had carried her sister onto her glyph. "Maybe they'll have a spare spot where they're keeping Yang."

"I can walk on my own," she protested, but she didn't budge as Ruby lifted the both of them back to their feet. She prayed she was too tired to blush, but she doubted the night would be kind enough to grant it. They inched their way to the infirmary tent in silence, and more than once did she glance at her partner, trying to see if her face betrayed anything in her favor. Shifty eyes, uncomfortable smiles, anything.

That would have been unfair, though. Not even two hours had passed between the kiss and now. Even if she did have time to think about it, it was only thirty minutes at best. Anything Ruby might have said would have been a hurried thought.

But now Weiss had time to think about it. Back in the stairwell, it was a rushed and hasty kiss, filled with adrenaline. She had been desperate to get her last laugh against the world, but now that she had won she didn't know what to do with it. It felt nice in hindsight though. Almost romantic, even.

What if she was a bad kisser? She had only kissed Neptune before, after all. Her gaze turned to her left and fell to Ruby, who was steadfastly trudging with her past soldiers and hunters. It would be easy. So easy to just lean in and try again. But it felt rude - she had made her statement, and it was too soon to ask for a follow up. Kissing her out of the blue a second time felt improper and she did her best to let the feeling slide.

Finally, though, they made it to the tent and found Yang's cot. Mercury had been moved to corner and was under heavy surveillance, and somehow Sun and Neptune had found her and Blake already. As soon as Sun looked up, there was a flash of light and his clones made a mad scramble to bring over an extra stool.

The other boy gave a knowing wink before nodding her head in Ruby's direction before looking away. It was strange. His lack of affection was unnatural, and while she knew the whole point of it was to see how the two of them worked out, it was still something that felt out of place, as if she missed it.

That, and one of the lenses of his goggles was cracked beyond repair. "Neptune," she sounded surprisingly worried to herself, "how did that happen?" she motioned towards his goggles.

"Tripped and fell," he shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

She would have thought about it more - the scuff mark on his cheek said far more than just that. She might have found more points to worry about upon his body, but Sun took out her knees from behind with the seat of a stool. Had Ruby not helped, she might have fallen over entirely. When she was finally seated, though, Weiss leaned forward with a deep sigh, her left side feeling cool now that her partner had moved to make sure Yang was okay. Blake returned shortly afterward, saying that she had checked all of them in and that they were now on standby. However, all of them doubted that they would be called into action anytime soon.

For the next few moments, it was just Sun and Blake talking. Adam was mentioned, but only in name and never in full context. At some point Team JNPR had returned, four pairs of feet echoing across the ground. They were safe for the time being. But a loud screech echoed through the sky, and a hail of gunfire erupted, forcing away whatever Grimm that voice belonged to.

"Rough night, huh?"

Ice blue eyes looked up to see soft silver. Ruby appeared laid back, resting her weight on her back leg as she stood by her side. But her hands and shoulders seemed tense. Aside from the small tear in her corset she looked no worse for wear, but it was easy to see how anxious she was. She had dried blood on herself, after all, not to mention the whole reason why her corset was damaged in the first place.

The wound itself was healed by her aura, but there was more than just skin-deep scarring.

"For all of us, really," she responded tiredly. She wasn't used to keeping her glyphs around for that long, and to have two of them supporting two bodies worth of weight drained her. As much as she wanted it, now was neither the time nor place for a conversation. For all she knew Ruby was just trying to make small talk, to try and bring some sense of normalcy back into the night. Or their relationship.

She let her eyes close, tilting her head back. Weiss didn't feel ready for the conversation. But at the same time, this might be the best time. However, a second round of gunfire echoed through the cloth of the tent, bringing her body back to attention. But nothing shredded through the cloth. As more shots fired, she tried to see what was going on, but none of the staff seemed to react to it outside of a small jump.

When it ended just as abruptly as it started, Jaune was the first to speak. "Just what the hell is the gunfire about?"

"They say there's a Grimm, a big one," Sun spoke up, "It's flying around and been wanting to do something. Everytime it gets close to the tower, though, Atlas Military opens fire."

"And why aren't they trying to shoot it down with their ships?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well, every time it gets hurt, it seems to drop blood or something that spawns more Grimm. Military isn't too sure if that's the case exactly, but they've adopted the current plan of taking care of the smaller things first and the bigger things last, so they're only shooting if it gets too close to the tower."

"And they can't take it out?" she continued, and Sun just stared her in the eye.

"Pyrrha, this thing is huge," his hands went up and stretched wide. "Probably big enough to eat a small fighter ship whole. But the guns are going off less and less frequently - I think it's gotten smart enough to leave the tower alone at least."

_Clack_

Weiss turned away from the conversation to see Headmaster Ozpin in front of them. His eyes locked onto Ruby first, falling to the small cut on her side before drifting over to Weiss. For better or for worse, he appeared satisfied, though it was difficult to truly read. "I see that Mr. Wukong has briefed you two on the current situation." He took a deep breath. "I'll be quick where I can. We need every able-bodied hunter to assist with holding the perimeter to fight hold off any Grimm that this dragon seems to give off."

He then turned to Sun and Neptune. "Mr. Wukong, Mr. Vasilias, I don't intend to be rude, but I have some matters that I must discuss privately with Team RWBY and JNPR before they join you. Please report to the west front and await additional instructions. You'll find the rest of your team there waiting for you."

There was a sigh of relief from Sun, and he thanked him. But Weiss' eyes fell on Neptune, watching him stand and give a small nod. His first steps began to bring him away as he gave one last smile at her and-

"No."

Everyone turned to her. "Miss Schnee, is there a problem?"

"They stay with us," she felt her hands clutching her skirt, shaking under Ozpin's gaze. "Sun and Neptune stay with us."

Without his ever-present coffee mug, the man's hand was bunched in his pocket. But his other one grasped the top of his cane, its grip tightening. "I'm not sure I understand the reason for that. The skills that they have demonstrated previously will be much more useful on the field tonight."

Ruby reached to her shoulder, "Is something wrong, Weiss?"

This was probably a breach of their nondisclosure agreement. But after tonight, after realizing what Roman was truly after, she wanted them with her. "With all due respect, Headmaster," she rose to her feet, doing her best to ignore her bodily protests as she looked him in the eye, "Sun and Neptune have been involved since the night of the Paladin. Maybe even earlier," Ozpin's gaze settled over the two males, though he refrained from speaking. "And they are looking to enter the detective field. The skills they are looking to develop would be beneficial for us in the long run."

The headmaster looked over her again, his eyes settling on the dried blood of her skirt. He then settled on Ruby and Blake, then Yang, and then Nora and Ren before finally coming to a stop on Pyrrha and Jaune. A blink, and then back to her.

"Miss Schnee," his voice was clear, "while involving Team SSSN stands to be beneficial, there is a very present risk involved. Is that something you can bear the responsibility of?"

Her eyes fell upon Neptune, and her chest rose and fell with a breath. Ozpin's words from the very first class came back to her mind, and she closed her eyes.

_To fight a human is to engage in a clash of wills, minds, and emotions. You may have to work with people you never want to see, choose between things you never want to risk, and possibly even lose those you love._

"I'm the specialist, Headmaster," she firmly said. "I've made a commitment to ensure the safety of our team. And while tonight made me realize my shortcomings, I feel that we shouldn't handicap ourselves just because we're scared of what might happen."

There was a long silence between the two of them. No one dared to move in the stillness, but in the end Ozpin turned to face the two boys in question. "Very well then. Mr. Wukong and Mr. Vasilias," his voice seemed to boom within the tent, "please maintain your original orders. However, I would like to speak with the both of you and the rest of your team after tonight."

They gave another nod this time, and moved out of the area. The headmaster looked back at the two teams and took a deep breath. "Now that you are all here, I would like for the eight of you to come with me." He glanced at Yang, "Of course, I would understand if you would prefer to stay here, Miss Xiao Long, and I would normally be hesitant to ask for your presence. But I would like to have you with your team if at all possible. We need to discuss a few things about tonight, as well as our... esteemed guest."

Torchwick.

It didn't take much to try and coax Yang from the cot. The short bit of rest seemed to have given her aura enough time to start the recovery process, and she seemed eager to join them. Blake had offered to lend her shoulder, but the blond seemed confident that she'd be okay.

Ruby looked to Weiss, and she felt her head shake. No hands for now. She needed to have a focused mind if Ozpin was going to ask her for information. As they made their way through the soldiers and hunters, they climbed the stairs up into the lobby of the CCT Tower and into the elevator. Luckily it was wide enough for all nine of them to enter, and they exited into the Headmaster's office.

A scroll was ringing on his desk.

* * *

The ring tone went off a total of four times before a voice picked up on the other side.

"Roman."

The voice was firm in his ear. In spite of the mess that was tonight, the headmaster was still composed enough to try to be calm. "In about five seconds, you're going to see a Bullhead lift off from the west side of the campus," Roman's tone was flat. "It's going to fly across that giant Grimm's path before heading straight west over the ocean. I trust you and the general will know what to do with that."

"I doubt that Ironwood would be pleased with your… contribution to the plan."

"Oh, I don't think he'd mind too much," Roman couldn't help but smile. " _Vigilo Confido_  and all that. He's probably used to losing a few pieces by now. Wouldn't you agree?" He was looking over the school from a rooftop. They were north of the site now, outside of the immediate danger zone and, for the most part, safe. The dragon was still around, but Neo would have that taken care of shortly.

"I assume you've escaped our jurisdiction."

"Not without reason, of course. I think you'll be very happy to know that I've dealt with our suspect. You'll find her on top of Building C, where the old humanities courses were."

"We needed the suspect alive, Roman. She is no good to us dead."

Roman thought back to the fight. He had deftly evaded her strikes until he let her land a single kick on him. Then he let his semblance reign free, slowly plucking the light and sound from her senses. Then it was only a matter of picking her apart.

His lips threatened to cut his face in half with a smile. "Should have stopped me then."

A brief silence.

"I can hear you stewing, Headmaster."

Finally, Ozpin spoke. "Why are you doing this, Roman? You could have had a chance at stopping something bigger than yourself." The voice was, for once, exasperated, and he savored every moment of it. "If you'd look beyond yourself for once in your life, you'd realize what was at stake here."

He let the silence linger, just enough to let him know that it was on purpose.

"Roman-"

"You know, Ozpin, I warned you when we started this little game of ours." Cradling the scroll against his shoulder and cheek, he lit up a cigar and took a long, deep breath. He watched as the dragon began chasing the bullhead west through the sky and towards the ocean. There was a soft pattering of feet to his left, a sign that Neo had returned. "You said you'd watch my each and every move, and you did."

"You can still help us, Roman." It was a shock to hear the man raise his voice. It was loud, but barely held back before it could become a yell. "There is still-"

The thought only made him smile more. "There is no more us," he held the scroll in front of him, letting a shot of his face appear for the briefest of moments. "No more deals, no more students, no more teaching, no more games."

He spoke like it was a simple truth. "You can't contain me, Ozpin."

The voice on the other end was still there, but he flung the scroll off the side of the building, tracing it down until landed onto the hard asphalt. Taking quick aim with his cane, he fired a shot down and watched as the street was engulfed with flames.

* * *

_**The End…?** _  

* * *

"So, Team SSSN, huh? I gotta admit, Weiss, I didn't expect you to challenge Headmaster Ozpin of all people."

The plaza was, for the most part, empty. Aside from Atlesian soldiers and machines, few other students had made their presence known, and for good reason. When the hubbub of the Vytal Tournament finally settled down and a tally of damages and casualties as provided, the number was significant enough to have a sobering effect. And while the finals were still played out, it was not without a final word from the two headmasters.

Weiss tuned out most of it, but she caught enough to understand the tone the two men were aiming for. A mention of those who were no longer with them, but that the price was paid so that there would be more joy and laughter tomorrow. That they would learn from this mistake to ensure a brighter tomorrow. But they still touted it as a victory - whatever plans Cinder had for that night got no further than that.

Team RWBY, JNPR and now SSSN knew otherwise. The new team would be transferred to Beacon to continue their education, and eventually transition into the Vale Police Department. And then they would be on track to assisting RWBY and JNPR as support roles. They'd do the detective work, trying to trace and gather information on the shadowed threat that was whatever group Cinder was working for.

There was one more day before everything returned to 'normal', where classes would resume and students would once again be attending lectures, completing homework, and conducting practice matches. Ruby had asked to meet her in the courtyard, and she was sitting on one of the benches towards the side. Weiss didn't have the fondest of memories here - she watched her sister be made a fool of by Ruby's uncle, but that was for another day.

No one had seen Torchwick since that night. A lot of the staff in charge of the investigation were confused on why he helped get rid of that large Grimm. But Weiss voiced that he did it to benefit himself - that his eyes were on ensuring that Vale was his playground and the dragon was a threat to him. Mercury, on the other hand, was so far being compliant with the questioning. Yang was on the verge of being acquitted, and things were on the path to righting themselves. Slowly, but surely.

"I felt that they would be a good addition," her lips drew a frown. "Even if that hooligan Wukong is in charge of them."

Ruby swung her legs out and then back under the bench. "Well, you'll have a chance to show them who's boss. Now that the tournament's over, we're planning to go back to having those team matches."

Her response was just a simple hum, too nervous to respond with anything else. Her hands were neatly folded atop of her skirt, waiting for the killing question that had been budding throughout the past week.

Finally, a deep breath from Ruby. She threw her head back over the bench, closed her eyes, and remained still for a moment. "Do you like Neptune?"

There it was. "He's shown himself to be of proper character. He has a slight reputation, but I haven't seen that at all since the dance."

"So you like him."

"So far."

Her chest rose and fell before she reeled back to a more normal sitting position. "Aaaand you also like me."

Gulp. "Yes."

"... Does Neptune know?"

"I made him aware of the possibility after we came back from Mountain Glenn, and he was supportive. More so than I expected." Deep breath. Ice blue eyes met ones of soft silver. "I don't think I would have kissed you otherwise. Going behind one's back is what my father does, and..." she licked her lips, "that does not bring pleasant thoughts to me."

"Yeah, I can see that." It was Ruby's turn to take a deep breath again. Her head turned away, looking into the plaza. "I…" another pause. "I won't pretend. You're my best friend and you deserve my honesty. I'm not a lesbian."

Weiss' gaze fell to her clenched hands. "I know."

Ruby gave a scoff. Perhaps it was an attempt at a laugh, but it sounded hopeless all the same. "I mean, I had a crush on Jaune at first. And I like guys. For example, Sun and Neptune are…" she rubbed her lips together, "You know how good-looking those two can be."

She said nothing, only nodding for her to continue. "I mean, when I look back, some things - they're more clear now. And then after what happened that night..."

"You don't have to say it."

"No," her voice was quiet yet firm. Her arms drifted over her stomach, with one hand pointedly resting over an auspicious spot. "It's not about- not about  _that_." A pause and a breath, "Well, maybe not all of it, at least."

There was a pause that took all of Weiss' self-control to leave it be, to let Ruby finish speaking. Finally, though, her voice continued. "When I think back to what happened after that, I think about how much you cared. I was terrified and nearly shot you. After I let go of Crescent Rose, I think I was expecting another lecture, to hear 'I told you so'."

Ruby didn't look at her. But her hand, the one that covered the shallow scar, drifted over and rested on top of hers. "I mean, maybe I'm just confusing things. You had your orders from Ozpin to protect me. Of course you'd care enough to succeed. A-And when I think about you kissing me, that was for yourself. Like, I guess I wouldn't know if it was a good or bad kiss, but it wasn't because you wanted to establish something at that moment. You were scared that you might not come back."

"But you're my best friend, even closer than those at Signal. To me, you're…" her hand squeezed, and Weiss dared to return back. "You're in this spot, and it's good. I like it. So when you reached out instead of lecturing me, when you held onto me like I was found again, everything just… came down. After losing Penny and then slowly getting separated from everyone else, just knowing you were there for me was… It was just..."

"Relieving?"

"Yeah," Ruby sniffed, a sheepish smile on her face. "I can go with that." Her other hand wiped away a stray tear and she gave a small giggle - short and awkward. "Look at me. I can't even stay on-topic right now."

"On the contrary," Weiss finally took her turn to speak, "I think you explained it quite well. You hold me at a position that is more valuable than just attraction. I think for now I will be satisfied that it wasn't a no."

"Yeah… I guess I…" she took a breath, a moment to think to herself. "I guess I didn't say no, huh?"

When Weiss looked up, soft silver eyes met ice blue ones. They were still joined at the hand, and for a second she hoped that what she saw was true and closed her eyes.

There was that soft sensation again.

When they were open again, there was a sharp blush on Ruby's cheeks. But when they locked eyes, they both shared a small giggle and grin before turning their heads away. Their gaze, however, quickly returned to each other.

With all things considered, her kiss felt just as good as Neptune's.

Weiss started talking again. "So I take that we are nearing a 'complicated' status, is that correct?"

"... Yeah. Yeah, I can get behind complicated. I mean, I really don't think I'm a lesbian. Like Sun and Neptune are hot and I had that Jaune-thing for a while," her voice dropped as her cheeks lit up even more. "And then there's- you know, there's you, so…" Ruby let out a positive sigh, but continued to hold her hand.

Hmph. Complicated it is, then. But a good one, at least, except, well-

"What are you going to tell Neptune?"

Weiss remained silent at first. The feeling she received from either of them was good, and he was beginning to warm up to her even more than before. And the longer she thought about it, the more unappealing it was to have one and lose the other.

Why not try to have both?

"You alluded to thinking that he was attractive a moment ago." She couldn't believe she was considering it, but the words left her lips before she realized it. "What do you think of him?"

"Well, he's…" Ruby trailed off as she looked towards her feet, "definitely handsome. And he looks cool when he's serious. Nice weapon, too. Really nice weapon."

Perhaps it wasn't too improbable, then. After the whole mess that the tournament turned out to be, it was a strangely welcome thought. She certainly deserved the chance at both, at the very least.

"We'll talk with him. Together. But frankly, Ruby, I don't think he'd be concerned at all."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Thank you all for sticking by me for this story. It's been a hell of a trip, and I'm really glad I was able to see it through. With Qrowin Week taking place on Tumblr, this ending took a bit of a backseat, but I also needed to plan out how it was going to happen since some things had changed from my original vision. Still, it was a whole lot of fun to plan this fic out and then put my nose to the grindstone and connect the dots I laid out. It was a great learning experience, and I certainly think I'll be repeating that method sooner or later down the line.
> 
> Anyway, what's there to say about this chapter? As much as the main plot point was closed up, a few of them were opened as well. This is intentional since there could be more of this down the road. But it wasn't planned out much further than this, so we might just have side chapters, really.
> 
> Also I have no self control so smol bi Weiss is greedy and wants to try to have everything lol. Neptune wasn't even supposed to be mentioned in this chapter, but somehow his presence wormed its way in and yet it still made sense (I dare say even more sense than without him).I don't even ship it, but somehow it just makes sense in this fic.
> 
> Again, thank you again for reading this story from start to finish. And big thanks to ImSoAwesome for beta-reading for me!


End file.
